Anthony Albanese restates support for two-state solution in call with Palestinian leader
The call comes amid mounting pressure on the Prime Minister to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month.
France, the UK and Canada have all conditionally said that they would.
Mr Albanese has neither committed to nor ruled out doing so.
'Prime Minister Albanese reiterated Australia's call for the immediate entry of aid to meet the needs of the people of Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of all hostages,' according to a readout of a call with Mr Abbas.
'Prime Minister Albanese also reinforced Australia's commitment to a two-state solution because a just and lasting peace depends upon it.
'President Abbas thanked Prime Minister Albanese for Australia's economic and humanitarian support.
'The leaders discussed deepening co-operation across a range of areas and agreed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.'
France was the first major Western country to say it would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA.
It did so condemning Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023 and saying the Palestinian Islamist group cannot play a role in Gaza.
The UK took a similar line, though its pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood was more of a threat to the Israeli government.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would go ahead with recognition if Israel did not loosen its chokehold on aid flowing into Gaza, where the death toll from starvation has climbed to nearly 200, according to local health officials.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday repeated the Albanese government's condemnation of Hamas and said there was an 'unique opportunity in the international community to isolate and diminish' it while giving life to a Palestinian state.
'Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We consistently condemn them. We have multiple sanctions on them,' she told the ABC.
'When you look at what the Palestinian Authority and the Arab countries have said, condemning Hamas and committing to Hamas having no role in the future of the governance of Gaza.'
Senator Wong went on to say the 'best way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is for there to be two states'.
'And the reason for … the urgency behind this is that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise if the world does not act.'
Originally published as PM restates support for two-state solution in call with Palestinian leader
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