By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY -Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state came after the government sensed a major shift in the domestic mood over the war in Gaza, and showed that Canberra was unafraid of upsetting Israel, historically one of its staunchest allies.

The August 11 announcement came days after tens of thousands of people marched across Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge, calling for peace and aid deliveries to Gaza, where Israel began an offensive nearly two years ago after the Hamas militant group launched a deadly cross-border attack.

Health authorities in Gaza say at least 60,000 Palestinians have been killed while the U.N. has warned of starvation.

“It just became politically unpalatable to be continuing to defend Israel and lay all the blame at the feet of Hamas,” said Martin Kear, an academic at Sydney University specialising in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The decision has strained relations between Israel and Australia to a degree not seen in decades.

Senior politicians in both countries have traded barbs - with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launching personal attacks on Albanese - the visas of Australian diplomats working in the West Bank have been revoked and an Israeli lawmaker was barred from entering........

© Al Monitor