Australian PM Albanese must reverse his recognition of the State of Palestine

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese needs to reverse his decision to recognise the non-existent “State of Palestine” – if his apology to Jewish Australians on 22 January 2026 for failing to prevent the Bondi Massacre on 14 December 2025 - is to have any real meaning.

Albanese’s decision was made on 11 August 2025 in a joint statement with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong - just 8 days after a police-estimated crowd of 90000 pro-Palestine demonstrators had marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a Supreme Court-approved demonstration:

“Today, I can confirm that at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, Australia will recognise the State of Palestine. Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority.” 

Albanese had finally broken a decades-old policy adopted by Australia’s major political parties that Palestinian statehood must be the final outcome of a negotiated – not imposed - peace process with Israel.

Among those marching across the Harbour Bridge were:

·       Julian Assange – WikiLeaks founder (making a rare public appearance following his return to Australia)

·       Bob Carr – Former NSW Premier and former Australian Foreign Minister

·       Craig Foster – Human rights activist and former Socceroo

·       Mehreen Faruqi – Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and Senator for NSW

·       Ed Husic – Federal Member for Chifley (Labor) and former Cabinet Minister

·       Clover Moore – Lord Mayor of Sydney

·       Anthony Mundine – Former professional boxer and rugby league player

·       Antoinette Lattouf – Journalist, author, and diversity advocate

·       Meyne Wyatt – Actor and writer

·       Claudia Karvan – Acclaimed Australian actress

The Harbour Bridge demonstration seemingly emboldened Albanese and Wong to issue their joint statement – but for Australian Jews it was not welcomed - Jewish communal leaders immediately condemning the decision as dangerous and premature.

I added my concerns:

“PM Albanese and FM Wong:
Please be aware that two states already exist in former Palestine:
1. An Arab state called Jordan that occupies 76.9% of former Palestine located east of the Jordan River
2. A Jewish state called Israel that occupies 17.1% of former Palestine located West of the Jordan River.
Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and Gaza make up the remaining 6% of former Palestine located west of the Jordan River – areas which were allocated to the Jewish people for reconstitution of the Jewish National Home by articles 6 and 25 of the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine and remain vested in the Jewish people today under article 80 of the United Nations Charter.
You have made complete fools of yourselves with today’s announcement.
Two peoples – the Jews and the Arabs – need two states in former Palestine – not three.
Your statement today contains this blatant falsehood:
“Australia was the first country to raise its hand at the United Nations in support of Resolution 181, to create the State of Israel – and a Palestinian state.”
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/australia-recognise-palestinian-state
Wrong, wrong, wrong. It was an “Arab” State – not a “Palestinian” State – and was located west of the Jordan River in the area allocated to the Jewish People.
I challenge you both to correct your malicious and misleading error. It shows your complete ignorance. Have the decency to admit you have got your facts badly wrong.”

 I wrote a follow-up article: “Albanese and Wong shame Australia”

Albanese and Wong however maintained their pro-Palestine stance whilst espousing anti-Israel policies - releasing another joint statement recognising the non-existent “State of Palestine” on 21 September 2025.

Three months later the Bondi Massacre occurred.

Reversing his recognition of the non-existent “State of Palestine” would be seen as a genuine act of repentance by Albanese to Australia’s besieged and grieving Jewish community.