Portrait of Anthony Albanese
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Anthony Albanese on Gaza

Advocate for Two-State Solution (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Anthony Albanese strongly advocates for an immediate ceasefire and the recognition of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Key Points

  • Australia formally recognised the independent and sovereign State of Palestine effective Sunday, 21 September 2025.

  • He added Australia's voice to global calls for an immediate ceasefire, stating every innocent life, Israeli and Palestinian, matters.

  • The Prime Minister raised the destruction of Australian soldiers' graves by the IDF in Gaza with the Israeli president in 2025.

Summary

Anthony Albanese asserts that Australia will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, a move predicated on commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including no role for Hamas, demilitarisation, and democratic reform. He consistently frames the two-state solution as the international community's best hope to break the cycle of violence and achieve enduring peace and security for both Israeli and Palestinian peoples. The Prime Minister has repeatedly condemned the horrific events of October 7, 2023, and called for the immediate and dignified return of all hostages held by Hamas.

Throughout the conflict, he has described the situation in Gaza as a humanitarian catastrophe, stating that the denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children seeking food and water, is "completely unacceptable" and not consistent with international law. He has called for Israel to comply with its international obligations and abandon any forced displacement of Palestinians. This strong stance on the humanitarian crisis and statehood recognition represents an evolution from Australia's historical bipartisan position, leading to some internal political pressure and criticism from Israel's envoy.

Key Quotes

A two-state solution is humanity's best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza

Frequently Asked Questions

Anthony Albanese advocates for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to ease suffering and secure hostage release. He strongly supports the two-state solution as the path to lasting peace. The Prime Minister has also been highly critical of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling the scale of death and starvation 'completely unacceptable.'

Yes, his government shifted the long-standing bipartisan position by announcing Australia would formally recognise a Palestinian state. This move was framed as a practical contribution towards building momentum for a two-state solution. He has also been increasingly vocal in his criticism of Israel's conduct and aid denial.

Anthony Albanese described the situation in Gaza as having "gone beyond the world's worst fears" and as a humanitarian catastrophe. He explicitly stated that Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians seeking food cannot be defended or ignored. He called on Israel to comply immediately with international law.