Canberra — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly rebuffed criticism from former US President Donald Trump and his allies over Australia’s plan to formally recognize the State of Palestine, dismissing the backlash as yet another example of Washington’s double standards when it comes to the Middle East and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Albanese said his government’s decision to back Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September reflects Australia’s own values and foreign policy priorities, not the dictates of foreign capital. He underscored that the bloodshed and destruction seen in Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel have horrified Australians across the political spectrum, with many demanding that Canberra take a moral stand.
The prime minister also criticized the selective outrage from American officials, pointing out that Washington has remained silent, or even complicit, in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, while being quick to condemn any government that dares to challenge Israel’s unchecked aggression. Albanese argued that if the US can lecture the world about democracy, then it should also uphold the principles of justice and human rights, principles it has routinely abandoned in its blind defense of Israel.
Trump’s camp has described the Australian move as “disgusting,” an incendiary remark Albanese brushed off as the rhetoric of a man with little regard for the plight of civilians trapped under siege and bombardment. The Australian leader stressed that foreign leaders will not dictate Canberra’s sovereign decisions, particularly when those decisions involve ending decades of occupation and supporting Palestinian statehood.
According to Mehr News, Albanese made it clear that his loyalty lies with the Australian people, not with Trump’s political sensitivities or Washington’s pro-Israel orthodoxy. He stressed that Canberra’s foreign policy decisions are guided by its principles and the will of its citizens, rather than by pressure from any foreign leader.
The Daily Mail reported that Albanese openly mocked the idea that Australia’s recognition of Palestine should cause “diplomatic shockwaves” in the White House. The report framed his dismissal as a direct challenge to decades of American hypocrisy over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, portraying the criticism from Trump’s circle as exaggerated political theater.
