“This progress, this momentum that we’re seeing, is welcome, but it’s also conditional … we need to make sure that there’s no role for Hamas in any future leadership.”

“We should decide if it’s consistent with our national interest and the principles which the Australian government has upheld on a bipartisan basis for decades, which is that we want two states.”

James Paterson said Palestinian recognition would be “premature” before reaching a two-state solution. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the federal government must formally recognise a Palestinian state.

“It’s time to be recognising the state of Palestine … in line with comparable countries across the world,” she told Sky News.

Canada to recognise Palestinian state

Mark Carney said the policy shift was necessary to preserve hopes of a two-state solution. Source: AP / Adrian Wyld

Carney said his decision was informed by Canada’s “long-standing” belief in a two-state solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.