Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed accusations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this August 20 that he was a "weak politician" who had betrayed Israel by moving to recognize a Palestinian state. The sharp rebuke came after Albanese’s August 11 announcement that Australia would formalize its recognition of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
The decision set off a chain of retaliatory moves between the two nations. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke canceled the visa of far-right Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar revoked visas for Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Both sides also warned of further scrutiny of official visa applications.
Albanese’s government has argued that recognition of a Palestinian state aligns with the approach already taken by countries such as Ireland, Norway, Spain, France, and Canada. Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, accused Netanyahu’s government of further isolating Israel on the international stage.
This move also places Australia among a growing list of nations that have chosen to formally acknowledge Palestinian statehood, raising questions about the broader implications of such recognition. So, what are some of the countries that already acknowledge Palestine as a state, and what does doing so mean?