Anthony Albanese’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood continues to create pressure from both sides, with the Trump administration disgusted by the move while Palestine’s former top diplomat in Canberra warns it needs to be matched with sanctions against Israel.
The prime minister on Friday dismissed US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s criticism over the Labor government’s decision to side with France, Canada and the United Kingdom to recognise Palestine next month, saying Australia was a sovereign country that made its own decisions.
Albanese’s move risks a rift with Donald Trump, who is personally opposed to recognition, as strains emerge in the bilateral relationship over the US president’s tariffs on Australian exports and Pentagon demands for Australia to increase defence spending.
Albanese is yet to hold face-to-face talks with Trump after a planned first meeting in June on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada was cancelled at the last minute when the president returned to Washington to oversee preparations for the bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites.
In an interview with the ABC on Thursday night, Huckabee offered a wide-ranging critique of Australia’s recognition decision, saying the timing of the announcement had damaged negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli prisoners with Hamas.
Huckabee said Trump and Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio expressed unhappiness over Albanese’s decision when he spoke to them.
“There’s an enormous level of disappointment and some disgust,” Huckabee said. “I don’t know that the president used that word, [but] I would say that is a characterisation of a sentiment.
“I think it does express the emotional sentiment, a sense of, ‘You’ve got to be kidding … why would they be doing this? And why would they be doing it now?’ We don’t have to pretend that it’s OK, because in our view, it’s not OK and it was ill-timed.”
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