Australia PM cites killed aid worker in speech on Palestinian recognition

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(Reuters) -Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cited an Australian aid worker killed in Gaza, along with journalists and “tens of thousands of civilians”, in a speech at the United Nations where dozens of leaders met on Monday to promote Palestinian statehood.

Australia, Britain and Canada on Sunday recognised Palestine, joining more than three-quarters of the 193 U.N. members who already recognise a Palestinian state, a move opposed by the United States and Israel.

Australia was the first United Nations member to vote 78 years ago for the plan that made Israel’s statehood possible, and continued to stand with the Jewish people against anti-semitism, Albanese told the meeting.

“The Israeli Government must accept its share of responsibility” for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians had been killed, he said.

“Aid workers have been killed trying to deliver humanitarian assistance, including Australian Zomi Frankcom,” he said, noting also the journalists “killed trying to bring the truth to light”.

Albanese’s centre-left Labor government had decided to recognise Palestine based on commitments from the Palestinian Authority that Hamas hand over its weapons and have no role in a future state, and that elections are held, he added.

Albanese is attending the United Nations General Assembly for the first time. Despite earlier hopes the trip would provide an opportunity for his first meeting with Trump, an important security ally, Australia did not appear among the countries listed by the White House on Monday for bilateral meetings in New York.

Australian media outlets on Tuesday reported this as a “snub”, after Trump a week earlier told reporters that Albanese would be coming for a visit to see him “very soon”.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast)