A Time for Clarity and Principle
This week, the Australian Government announced its decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine and its intention to vote for recognition at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September.
For many in our community, this news has landed with a heavy sense of concern, not because we oppose the idea of a Palestinian state, but because the timing and context of this recognition undermine the very peace it claims to advance.
Let us be clear: we support a genuine two-state solution. The vision of two peoples living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition is not only just but necessary for a lasting resolution to the conflict. It has been the stated policy of successive Israeli governments and is endorsed by the vast majority of the Jewish world.
The Reality on the Ground
Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation under Australian law, continues to control Gaza, openly calls for the destruction of Israel, and shows no willingness to renounce violence. Nearly 2 years after Hamas committed the atrocities of October 7, they still hold 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza.
The leadership in Gaza is neither democratic nor representative of a peaceful Palestinian vision; it is a theocratic, armed faction that has repeatedly rejected negotiations.
Recognition at this moment sends a troubling message: that terrorism, hostage-taking, and the rejection of peace can be rewarded with international legitimacy. It bypasses the hard work of negotiation and removes incentives for the Palestinian leadership to make the compromises and reforms necessary for a lasting peace.
The Prime Minister has rightly acknowledged that the hostages must be returned. Yet to proceed with recognition before this occurs - as may tragically still be the case by the UN General Assembly in September - would be to turn a blind eye to their most fundamental human rights and to the ongoing trauma of their families.
A Pattern of Rejection
Since 1947, the Palestinian leadership has been offered statehood on multiple occasions, in 1947 under the UN Partition Plan, in 2000 at Camp David, in 2008 during the Olmert–Abbas negotiations, and in other documented proposals. Each time, the offers were rejected. The sticking points have not been about minor border adjustments but about the fundamental acceptance of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state alongside a Palestinian one.
To recognise Palestine now, absent any agreement or reform, is to ignore this history and to diminish the leverage needed to bring both parties to the table in good faith.
What Recognition Should Mean
Recognition should be the culmination of a peace process. It should come when Palestinian leadership:
Renounces violence and dismantles terrorist infrastructure,
Accepts Israel’s right to exist,
Commits to democratic governance, human rights, and the rule of law.
Statehood requires four basic criteria:
A permanent population.
A defined territory – Clear, recognised boundaries.
An effective government – The ability to exercise authority and maintain order over the territory and population.
Capacity to enter into relations with other states – The ability to engage diplomatically and participate in international agreements.
These are not unreasonable conditions; they are the same principles expected of any state seeking recognition on the world stage. It is clear that as of now, a putative Palestinian state would NOT comply with these criteria.
Why Timing Matters
In diplomacy, timing is not a footnote, it is everything. This recognition comes at a moment when trust between the parties is at its lowest in decades, when Israel is still reeling from the deadliest single day in its history, and when the Palestinian leadership remains fractured between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza.
Where to Next
This decision doesn’t change our reality, it sharpens our task. We need to speak louder, explain clearer, and show why real peace can’t be fast-tracked with press releases. Our community’s strength has always been in turning setbacks into strategies. We’ll keep building alliances, telling our story, and making sure that when a two-state solution finally comes, it’s one that actually works.
Shabbat Shalom.
In a week of difficult news, may this Shabbat offer rest for the soul, clarity for the mind, and hope for the days ahead.
A Taste of Israel: Eitan Chitayat and Mayor of Nahariya Inspire Melbourne Crowd
Last Tuesday, Habayit, together with the Leibovich Families Foundation, K2A, and the Lewis Family Foundation, were proud to host Eitan Chitayat (I’m That Jew) and Ronen Marelli, Mayor of Nahariya, for a thought-provoking and inspiring bilingual talk in English and Hebrew.
The evening drew 120 Hebrew speakers and community members for an open and heartfelt conversation about identity, Israel, resilience, and the ties that connect us all.
Between powerful words and shared laughter, the room buzzed with energy and connection as guests feasted on Israeli flavours, swapped stories, and mingled like old friends. The speakers’ stories and perspectives left the audience engaged, moved, and uplifted — a true taste of Israel in Melbourne.
We look forward to bringing more lectures and thought-provoking talks in the near future, so stay tuned and follow Habayit on social media (@habayitzv) for updates.
Ruptured: Voices That Refuse to Be Silenced
The Ruptured launch lit up Melbourne with stories only Jewish women could tell — fierce, honest, and profoundly human. Tamar Paluch and Lee Kofman’s editorship has turned voices into a movement.
These aren’t just pages; they’re bridges, linking grief to hope, and our community to a greater understanding.
Ruptured has been published by Zionism Victoria’s Lamm Jewish Library of Australia. To purchase a paperback copy, click here. For the eBook, click here.
This book - Ruptured: Jewish Women in Australia Reflect on Life Post-October 7 - was co-authored by Tamar Paluch and Lee Kofman.