US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has slammed countries – including Australia – for recognising Palestine as a state, dismissing the move as nothing more than a symbolic gesture.
Mr Rubio said the push for recognition by Australia and other Western countries would not change the situation on the ground in the Middle East and was driven by domestic policies.
‘It’s largely meaningless, right? It’s symbolic and they’re doing it primarily for one reason and that is their internal politics, their domestic politics,’ he said in a US radio interview.
‘The truth of the matter is that the future of that 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.
‘It’s going to be decided when Palestinian areas are not governed by terrorist organizations. Because that’s truly what this comes down to, and that is the security of Israel,’ Mr Rubio said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Monday that Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next month, following similar commitments made by other Western allies, including the UK, France, and Canada.
The shift means Australia’s foreign policy has diverged from that of the US, a key ally that has for decades opposed formal recognition of Palestine.
While the move has been slammed by the US, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas and one of the terror group’s most senior figures in the West Bank, has welcomed the Labor government’s move and called on other Western nations to follow suit.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has slammed countries – including Australia – for recognising Palestine as a state, dismissing the move as nothing more than a symbolic gesture
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Monday that Australia would recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next month
‘We welcome Australia’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine, and consider it an important step towards achieving justice for our people and securing their legitimate rights,’ Yousef told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘This position reflects political courage and a commitment to the values of justice and the right of peoples to self-determination.
‘We call on all countries, especially those that believe in freedom and human dignity, to follow Australia’s example and translate their positions into practical steps to support the Palestinian people and end their suffering under occupation.’
Yousef, who is considered one of the spiritual leaders of Hamas, even said Albanese’s decision had vindicated the October 7 attacks.
‘Yes, we believe that the escalation of armed resistance, including the operations carried out on October 7, has significantly contributed to highlighting the suffering of the Palestinian people and the injustice they face,’ he told the paper.
‘These operations have drawn global attention to the Palestinian cause and compelled many countries and organisations to reconsider their positions, leading to greater support and recognition of Palestine as a state by some countries.
‘Resistance has proven to be an effective means to break the siege and bring the Palestinian cause back to the international discussion table.’
Responding to the comments from Hamas, a government spokesperson said: ‘What Australia has done is contribute international momentum towards a two-state solution, which Hamas opposes.
‘We are supporting the Arab League’s efforts to isolate Hamas.
Sheikh Hassan Yousef (pictured), a co-founder of Hamas and one of the terror group’s most senior figures in the West Bank, has welcomed the Labor government’s move to recognise Palestinian statehood, claiming it justifies their October 7 attack
‘Hamas always tries to manipulate facts for their own propaganda. Media have a responsibility to make professional judgements to not promote propaganda of terrorist organisations to get cynical headlines.’
The crisis in Gaza began when Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova music festival in Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 more hostage.
It represented the worst massacre of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust.
In the two years since, Israel’s military response has killed more than 61,000 people, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
Australia has listed Hamas as a terrorist organisation since 2022.
