Australia likely to support UN vote on status of Palestine after resolution was watered down

Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, addressing the United Nations general assembly in September 2023. Australia appears likely to back a vote on Palestine’s status after resolution was watered down. Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP

Australia appears likely to support a UN vote on Palestinian membership after the draft resolution was significantly watered down in last-minute negotiations.

The Australian government is continuing to consult on the matter ahead of a critical vote in the UN general assembly in New York, but the changes to the wording have allayed some of its earlier concerns.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said the new wording would see some countries that were likely to vote “no” shift to an abstain position, and some countries that were likely to abstain move into the “yes” column.

Australia was leaning towards abstaining on the original resolution, which would have seen the UN general assembly request the 15-member security council “favourably” reconsider Palestine’s application for full UN membership status.

Last month the US used its veto power to scuttle the proposal at a UN security council meeting, and full membership is impossible without that body’s consent.

In addition to the symbolic move of requesting a rethink by the security council, the UN general assembly was to consider granting Palestine rights and privileges “to ensure its full and effective participation … on equal footing with member states”, according to a draft version of the resolution circulating among diplomats last week.

Some western sources had raised concerns that this could be inconsistent with the UN charter, because those rights would apparently take effect regardless of whether the security council revisited the membership issue.

An official with knowledge of the negotiations said the most recent version circulated by the United Arab Emirates was significantly watered down from earlier drafts and demonstrated “major concessions” by the Palestinians and the Arab Group.

It is understood the resolution to be put to the general assembly expresses the aspiration for Palestine to attain membership, but makes it clear that it would be for the security council to recommend that step.

In the meantime, the resolution would extend Palestine’s existing rights of participation as an observer at the UN, such as the right to submit proposals, the right of reply regarding the positions of a group, and the right to raise procedural motions. But it would be clarified that this does not entail voting rights.

The new draft acknowledges Israel’s right to peaceful existence, by including mention of “unwavering support for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders”, as was also in previous drafts.

Guardian Australia understands that the changes have made it easier for Australia to support the resolution, although further amendments are still possible and so it will still depend on the final wording.

The vote in New York is expected to be held on Saturday morning Australian time.

It looms as Australia’s most highly anticipated UN vote since December, when it supported an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of hostages.

The Australian government continues to express alarm about the “devastating” consequences of an impending Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians have taken shelter.

The Australian government was waiting on the final wording of the resolution to be put to the wider general assembly – where all countries have a vote – before deciding whether to support the proposal or abstain.

Australia was not inclined to oppose the resolution outright, after signals from the foreign minister, Penny Wong, about the need to kickstart progress towards a two-state solution to end the cycle of violence.

Wong said earlier on Friday – before the most recent changes to the wording were known – that the Australian government was considering “the timing and the situation on the ground” including the fact that Hamas was still holding hostages in Gaza.

Dismissing the idea that voting yes or abstaining would be a reward for terrorism, Wong argued progress towards a two-state solution was “the opposite of what Hamas wants”.

Palestinian diplomats at the UN represent the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority is dominated by Fatah, a rival to Hamas.

On the eve of the UN vote, YouGov released polling showing that more Australians supported Palestinian statehood than opposed it, but a very large proportion – 44% – were unsure.

About 35% of the 1,514 respondents, polled in April, agreed when asked: “Do you think that the Australian government should or should not recognise Palestine as an independent state?”

The remaining 21% disagreed with the idea. Labor voters were more likely to support the idea than Coalition voters.

The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, implored the government to “be strong enough to oppose” the UN general assembly resolution or risk creating “an incentive for Hamas and others to see that they get what they want through terrorism rather than through negotiation”.

The leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, said Labor must support “the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians to enjoy the same rights to self-determination under international law that everyone else has”.