Albanese not to recognise Palestinian statehood until later in the peace process
His move follows French President Emmanuel Macron, who will show support for Palestinian state recognition at the UN in September, joining 147 other nations in recognition.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not follow suit until later in the peace process.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Palestinian Awdah Hathaleen who helped make Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land killed in West Bank
A prominent Palestinian activist who worked on an Oscar-winning documentary about Israel's occupation of the West Bank has allegedly been shot dead by a Jewish settler. Awdah Hathaleen, one of the activists from the village of Masafer Yatta near Hebron featured in the film No Other Land, was killed near the southern West Bank village of Umm al Khair on Monday. Witnesses said he was shot by a Jewish settler during a confrontation near the Carmel settlement next to the village. Awdah Hathaleen was 31 and had three children. "I can hardly believe it. My dear friend Awdah was slaughtered this evening," No Other Land co-director Basel Adra said on social media. The witnesses identified the settler responsible as Yinon Levi, who had previously been sanctioned by the United States for using violence to displace Palestinians. Video shows him firing a gun and yelling at a group of Palestinians, who village residents said were trying to stop an excavator driving onto Palestinian land. Israeli media reported that Mr Levi was arrested but the Jerusalem Magistrates Court allowed him to return home on remand while the case is investigated. Police reportedly told the court Palestinians were throwing stones at Yinon Levi and another settler, a child, and "it appeared their lives were in danger". Prominent Palestinian activist Issa Amro, from Hebron, told the ABC the loss of his friend was devastating. "His killing was really a shock for me but to be honest it was not a surprise. We all think that one day we might be killed by the Israeli violent settlers who do everything without any accountability," he said. "He was one of the best activists for Palestine, for peace, for non-violent resistance." On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers ejected mourners from a tent set up in Umm al Kheir and fired stun grenades at people who had gathered to pay condolences to Awdah Hathaleen's family. Israeli members of parliament and the Carmel settlement have expressed support for his alleged killer, Yinon Levi, describing him as a "pioneer". The Carmel settlement reportedly said of the killing that its residents: "will not accept a reality in which a Jew is attacked, and definitely not on the property of the settlement." In 2024 the US State Department sanctioned Mr Levi, saying: "(He) regularly led groups of violent extremists who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. His groups assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property. Levi and other extremists have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank." But the Trump administration removed the sanctions and those placed on other settlers after taking office this year.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
UK could recognise Palestinian state in September: PM
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the United Kingdom is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes a number of steps to improve life for Palestinians. Starmer said the UK would make the move unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid to enter the Gaza Strip, made clear there will be no annexation of the West Bank and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a "two-state solution" - a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Israel. "The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering," Starmer told reporters. "Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end." Starmer said his government would make an assessment in September on "how far the parties have met these steps" but that no one would have a veto over the decision. He took the decision after recalling his cabinet during the summer holidays on Tuesday to discuss a new proposed peace plan being worked on with other European leaders and how to deliver more humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip's 2.2 million people, a government statement said. "He reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that our demands on Hamas remain that they must release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, accept that they will play no role in the government of Gaza and disarm." Successive UK governments have said they will formally recognise a Palestinian state when the time is right, without ever setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions. A growing numbers of MPs in Starmer's Labour Party have asked him to recognise a Palestinian state to push Israel towards action. Pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood has mounted since French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will recognise a Palestinian state in September. Meanwhile, Germany sent two military transport aircraft to Jordan to assist in airdrops of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. "This work may only make a small humanitarian contribution but it is an important signal: we are there, we are in the region, we are helping," Merz said. The planes are to be refuelled, filled up and equipped in Jordan before flying over the Gaza Strip, possibly as early as Wednesday, and by the weekend at the latest, Merz said. Planes from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates dropped another 52 pallets of food over the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said on Tuesday. Egyptian planes also took part in the airdrops for the first time since Sunday, when Israel began allowing increased aid into the sealed-off Palestinian territory after months of restrictions, the military said. The Israeli military on Sunday announced it was implementing daily "humanitarian" pauses in fighting to allow for new aid to be safely distributed in the embattled strip amid increased international pressure over warners of imminent famine. The military said Egypt, Jordan and the UAE were co-ordinating the airdrops with Israel. Aid organisations including Doctors Without Borders have criticised the method as ineffective and expensive compared to lorry aid deliveries. They also note the danger posed to waiting civilians by the dropping pallets, which are attached to parachutes. Scores of Palestinians in the Gazan town of Zawaida swam into the sea to retrieve what they could from airdrops of aid on Tuesday. Kamel Qoraan returned to shore with a soaked bag of tea powder, saying that airdropping aid is "humiliating" and calling for the opening of border crossings for trucks. Some people seemed relieved to get anything. One boy smiled as he clutched a small sack of flour. One man had a can of beans. Momen Abu Etayya said his son urged him to chase the airdrops, and dashed into the sea. "I was only able to bring him three biscuits," he said. with AP and DPA
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
UK could recognise Palestinian state in September: PM
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the United Kingdom is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes a number of steps to improve life for Palestinians. Starmer said the UK would make the move unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid to enter the Gaza Strip, made clear there will be no annexation of the West Bank and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a "two-state solution" - a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Israel. "The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering," Starmer told reporters. "Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end." Starmer said his government would make an assessment in September on "how far the parties have met these steps" but that no one would have a veto over the decision. He took the decision after recalling his cabinet during the summer holidays on Tuesday to discuss a new proposed peace plan being worked on with other European leaders and how to deliver more humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip's 2.2 million people, a government statement said. "He reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that our demands on Hamas remain that they must release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, accept that they will play no role in the government of Gaza and disarm." 📦✈️DAILY HUMANITARIAN AID AIRDROP: An airdrop of 52 food aid packages for the residents of both southern and northern Gaza was conducted by the IDF in coordination with the UAE, Jordan and Egypt, and led by @COGATonline. Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 29, 2025 Successive UK governments have said they will formally recognise a Palestinian state when the time is right, without ever setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions. A growing numbers of MPs in Starmer's Labour Party have asked him to recognise a Palestinian state to push Israel towards action. Pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood has mounted since French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will recognise a Palestinian state in September. Meanwhile, Germany sent two military transport aircraft to Jordan to assist in airdrops of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. "This work may only make a small humanitarian contribution but it is an important signal: we are there, we are in the region, we are helping," Merz said. The planes are to be refuelled, filled up and equipped in Jordan before flying over the Gaza Strip, possibly as early as Wednesday, and by the weekend at the latest, Merz said. Planes from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates dropped another 52 pallets of food over the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said on Tuesday. Egyptian planes also took part in the airdrops for the first time since Sunday, when Israel began allowing increased aid into the sealed-off Palestinian territory after months of restrictions, the military said. The Israeli military on Sunday announced it was implementing daily "humanitarian" pauses in fighting to allow for new aid to be safely distributed in the embattled strip amid increased international pressure over warners of imminent famine. The military said Egypt, Jordan and the UAE were co-ordinating the airdrops with Israel. Aid organisations including Doctors Without Borders have criticised the method as ineffective and expensive compared to lorry aid deliveries. They also note the danger posed to waiting civilians by the dropping pallets, which are attached to parachutes. Scores of Palestinians in the Gazan town of Zawaida swam into the sea to retrieve what they could from airdrops of aid on Tuesday. Kamel Qoraan returned to shore with a soaked bag of tea powder, saying that airdropping aid is "humiliating" and calling for the opening of border crossings for trucks. Some people seemed relieved to get anything. One boy smiled as he clutched a small sack of flour. One man had a can of beans. Momen Abu Etayya said his son urged him to chase the airdrops, and dashed into the sea. "I was only able to bring him three biscuits," he said. with AP and DPA
