Australia’s announcement comes as Canada, France and the United Kingdom are also preparing to formally recognise Palestine at the meeting next month, joining the vast majority of UN member states that already do so.

Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday, adding that the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip had “gone beyond the world’s worst fears”.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Albanese said that Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September.