“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,” he said.<\/p>\n
It followed similar announcements from the United Kingdom<\/a>, France<\/a> and Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the moment, 147 of the 193 UN member states recognise Palestine as a sovereign state, with the notable exception of the United States \u2014 Israel’s most influential ally.<\/p>\n Neither side happy<\/p>\n Mr Albanese’s announcement was dismissed by the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) as a move to help shield Israel from legal accountability for its war on Gaza.<\/p>\n Nasser Mashni, the the president of APAN, said the federal government’s recognition of a Palestinian state was “meaningless” without Australia cutting ties with Israel.<\/p>\n Nasser Mashni’s group has been protesting regularly in Melbourne. (ABC News)<\/p>\n “Australia continues to trade, to supply arms, to have diplomatic relations and to diplomatically protect and encourage other states to normalise with this very state that is committing these atrocities,” he said hours after Mr Albanese’s announcement.<\/p>\n The government has repeatedly denied it has sold arms to Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Loading…<\/p>\n Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the Jewish community was not surprised by the announcement, but it was disappointed.<\/p>\n “Australia is now committed to recognising a state with no agreed borders, no single government in effective control of its territory, and no capacity to live in peace with its neighbours,” he said.<\/p>\n Mr Ryvchin said he wanted to see the end of the war in Gaza, aid deliveries resumed, Hamas disarmed and defeated and the hostages returned home.<\/p>\n “No one who supports the recognition of a Palestinian state has so far made the argument compellingly as to how recognition will achieve these aims,” he said.<\/p>\n Announcement was late but important<\/p>\n Mohamed El Helou, a Palestinian from Gaza who came to Australia last year, said he has lost 300 family members in Gaza.<\/p>\n He told the ABC that while the decision had come “very late” it was an important one.<\/p>\n Mohamed El Helou lost hundreds of family members in Gaza. (ABC News: Nabil Al-Nashar)<\/p>\n “The decision will support the two-state solution, which is the solution the entire international community is asking for,” he told the ABC in Sydney.<\/p>\n “Applying the two-state solution will contribute to ending the wars and having stability in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Mr El Helou said Palestinians wanted to live in peace and stability.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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