Australia: We May Soon Recognize Palestinian State

By Staff, Agencies

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that his country could recognize Palestinian statehood even before a so-called formal “peace” process between Palestinian authorities and “Israel” is done.

The Australian announcement came hours after the country joined 143 other nations in a United Nations Security Council resolution to expand the rights and privileges of the Palestinian delegation in New York.

Wong stated that the vote was “not about whether Australia recognizes Palestine” as its own state and said at a press conference in Adelaide, “We will do that when we think the time is right.”

"What we would say, and what I do say, is Australia no longer believes that recognition can only come at the end of a ‘peace’ process... It could occur as part of it,” she added.

During the voting, eight countries voted against including the United States added to the “Israeli” entity - while the United Kingdom abstained from voting.

As the resolution did not provide the Palestinian authority membership of the United Nations General Assembly, it currently remains in observer status, and the UNSC would need to agree to full membership first.

Wong noted, “Much of our region and many of our partners also voted yes, including our ally New Zealand, our special and strategic partner Japan, our comprehensive strategic partners Indonesia, Singapore and the Republic of Korea.”