Fifteen former ambassadors and diplomats, plus a former Consul-General, have written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging him to declare the government’s support for the creation and recognition of a Palestinian state without delay. 

Other proposals in the letter include:

• Demand Israeli demilitarisation of Gaza and the West Bank;
• Immediately end Australian exports of weapons and weapons components to Israel, in compliance with determinations of the International Courts; and
• Urge the United States to cease providing military weapons and intelligence to Israel until IDF attacks on Palestinian territories end.

The full letter is reproduced below:

4 August 2025

Dear Prime Minister

We are Australians who have represented our nation in many countries. We would find it difficult to do so now.

We are distressed that Australia has done so little to prevent the progressive erosion of international law, the persistent armed assaults on Palestinian people, and the violation of their human rights in Gaza and the West Bank.

We acknowledge your statements, together with other leaders, about the need for cautious consideration of recognition of a Palestinian state, and about the need for a two-state solution. Your approach is supported by a growing number of Australians, of Jewish, Palestinian, and other backgrounds.

This process, while welcome, is far too slow. It is taking more time than the famine-affected people of Gaza and the displaced Palestinians of the West Bank have, if they are to survive. Time is of the essence for them.

It is urgently imperative that Australia join 147 other countries in recognising a Palestinian state. To call repeatedly for a two-state solution makes no sense when only one state exists, and that heavily-armed state, Israel, is engaged in apartheid, war crimes, and potential genocide of almost totally defenceless people.

We urge you to announce in the coming days that Australia will:

Support the creation and recognition of a Palestinian state;

• Demand Israeli demilitarisation of Gaza and the West Bank;
• Support a process under United Nations auspices to reform and democratise the Palestinian Authority;
• Advocate holding elections in which Palestinians can decide if they want two states or one in which they have equal rights with Israelis; Call on Hamas to release remaining Israeli hostages and on Israel to release Palestinian prisoners, including those held without charge, from its gaols;
• Immediately end Australian exports of weapons and weapons components to Israel, in compliance with determinations of the International Courts; and
• Urge the United States to cease providing military weapons and intelligence to Israel until IDF attacks on Palestinian territories end.

If Israel continues to deny through its ambassador that war crimes are occurring in Gaza, we recommend that he be expelled and Australia’s ambassador be withdrawn from Tel Aviv.

We look forward to seeing these proposals reflected in your early announcement of Australia’s decisions. We offer you our support in implementing them.

Yours sincerely

• Graham Alliband OAM, former Ambassador
• Geoff Bentley, former Ambassador
• Dr Alison Broinowski AM, former diplomat
• Richard Broinowski AO, former Ambassador
• Dr Jocelyn Chey AM, former Consul-General
• Andrew Farran, former diplomat and international lawyer
• Professor Stephen FitzGerald AO, former Ambassador
• Anthony Kevin, former Ambassador
• John Lander, former Ambassador
• Ian Lincoln, former Ambassador
• John Menadue AO, former Ambassador
• Charles Mott, former Ambassador
• Peter Rodgers, former Ambassador
• Dr Jeremy Webb, former diplomat
• Mack Williams, former Ambassador
• Garry Woodard, former Ambassador.

As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognised by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states.

At the UN, Palestine has the status of a “permanent observer state”, allowing participation but no voting rights.

With France promising recognition in the coming weeks and assuming the UK follows suit, Palestine will soon enjoy the support of four of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members, the other two members being China and Russia.

This will leave the United States, which is fully complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, in a minority of one.

Notes

Victor Kattan, ‘Recognition of a Palestinian state is long overdue — now the West is understanding the urgency’, ABC, Religion & Ethics, posted 31 Jul 2025, updated 4 Aug 2025.