Line in the sand
Known for caution on foreign policy, Anthony Albanese has taken his boldest step yet: recognising a Palestinian state amid Israel's invasion of Gaza.
Anthony Albanese has built a reputation as one of the most cautious prime ministers in modern Australian history, particularly on foreign policy.
Yet on Monday, he and Foreign Minister Penny Wong took their most decisive step on the world stage since coming to office: announcing plans to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
Australia is not acting in isolation. It has followed France, the UK and Canada down this path — but the move is nonetheless momentous. It breaks from the long-standing position that recognition could not be declared until Hamas was removed from Gaza and a two-state process was underway.
That the Albanese government has reached this point speaks to the sheer scale of human suffering in Gaza, and how deeply it has resonated within the Australian community.
