US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticised Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, calling the move “largely meaningless” and driven by domestic political motives.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday that Australia would formally recognise Palestine, joining other Western leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in signalling similar intentions.
Albanese described the step as a way to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to push for an end to conflict and suffering in Gaza.
However, Mr Rubio dismissed these claims in a recent interview, saying the future of the region “is not going to be decided by some UN resolution or some press release by a prime minister or a president from some country.” He accused leaders including Mr Albanese of succumbing to “internal politics” and domestic pressure rather than focusing on meaningful outcomes.
“It’s symbolic, and they’re doing it primarily for one reason, and that is their internal politics,” Mr Rubio said. He added that real change would come only when Palestinian areas are not governed by terrorist groups, referring to Hamas, which controls Gaza and carried out the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley joined the criticism, urging the Albanese government to prioritise Australians’ immediate concerns amid the cost-of-living crisis rather than focus on foreign policy initiatives. Ley described recognising Palestine before the release of hostages and the defeat of Hamas as “rewarding terrorism, not peace.”
Despite the criticisms, Australia’s recognition aligns with a growing number of Western democracies signalling support for Palestinian statehood, putting them at odds with the US, Israel’s key ally.
A White House official reiterated that while President Donald Trump would not recognise Palestine due to concerns about rewarding Hamas, the administration remained open to other solutions for peace in the region.
As the UN General Assembly approaches, Australia’s controversial move has intensified debate over how best to address the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with critics warning symbolism alone will do little to resolve the deep-rooted issues on the ground.
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