Albanese ABC interview remarks welcomed
Major Australian Jewish organisations welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s remarks on ABC’s Insiders program (July 27), suggesting Australia is unlikely to recognise a Palestinian state in the near future.
Colin Rubenstein
AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said the Prime Minister was right to caution against “tokenistic and premature recognition” of a non-existent state, noting that unresolved issues—such as excluding Hamas and ensuring Israel’s security—must be addressed before any genuine two-state solution can emerge.
Dr Rubenstein argued that recognising “Palestine” now would undermine peace efforts, reward Hamas for its October 7 atrocities, and embolden rejectionist elements within Palestinian society. “Palestine does not meet international criteria for statehood,” he said, adding that such a move would also weaken efforts to reform the Palestinian Authority and bypass necessary negotiations.
However, AIJAC expressed concern over the Prime Minister’s comments on Gaza and international law, calling them “misunderstandings.” In particular, Dr Rubenstein rejected Albanese’s claim that Israel’s temporary halt to aid was illegal, pointing to Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. He also said accusations of “collective punishment” misrepresented the legal definition.
“We urge better briefing on such matters moving forward,” Rubenstein said.
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said the Prime Minister’s position reflects the government’s longstanding view: that Palestinian statehood cannot be recognised while terrorist groups like Hamas remain in power and essential preconditions for peace remain unmet.“
Jeremy Leibler
To recognise a Palestinian state now would be to turn recognition into a political weapon used to pressure Israel while it defends itself against a terrorist group bent on its destruction,” Mr Leibler said.
The ZFA acknowledged the Albanese Government’s repeated emphasis on key conditions for recognition: the release of all hostages, Hamas’s removal from power, and significant reform of the Palestinian Authority. These are, the ZFA said, “not arbitrary demands but the foundation for any peaceful and legitimate Palestinian state.”
ZFA CEO Alon Cassuto added that while Australians are rightly concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, true improvement depends on Hamas relinquishing control. “Hamas is the greatest obstacle to peace, and as many in the Arab world now recognise, no durable ceasefire or reconstruction is possible while it remains in power.”
The ZFA welcomed recent increases in humanitarian aid but stressed that peace, reconciliation, and statehood are only viable if Hamas accepts a ceasefire, releases hostages, and allows for a new, peaceful Palestinian leadership to emerge.
Daniel Aghion, President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, also welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s emphasis on humanitarian concerns and Israel’s recent steps to facilitate aid into Gaza.
Daniel Aghion
He expressed support for the PM’s recognition that Hamas is not only holding Israeli hostages but is also holding the people of Gaza hostage by perpetuating the conflict.
Aghion stressed that meaningful recognition of a Palestinian state can only occur when there is a single, unified Palestinian government in control of its territory. As long as Hamas remains in power, he argued, it poses the greatest obstacle to that outcome, and any move toward recognition in the current circumstances would be purely symbolic.
