Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has officially announced that Australia will recognize the State of Palestine.

Speaking on the issue, the prime minister emphasized that the Palestinian people have the right to establish their own sovereign state and that both Israel and Palestine should coexist as neighbors without violating international law.

However, Albanese made it clear that the terrorist organization Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, will have no place within the framework of a Palestinian state.

He stressed that recognition is conditional upon the withdrawal of military occupation, conducting free and fair elections, reforming governance and education, and the removal of Hamas from power.

The Prime Minister’s statement comes as several Western countries—including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada—have also approved recognition of Palestine as a state.

Reports indicate that Australia is preparing a series of diplomatic steps to support the establishment of the Palestinian state, expected to commence in September.

The official recognition is set to be formally announced at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in New York later this month.