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.

As Australia moves to formally recognise Palestine as a state, some Palestinians are worried that the move is merely symbolic and won't lead to change on the ground.

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”.