The Australian Greens, the fourth-largest party in Australia’s Parliament, has welcomed Canberra’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state, while criticising the government for failing to “meet the moment”, Al Jazeera reports.

“What Australia has done today is tsake a tiny step away from a shrinking and discredited minority of states, centred on the US and Israel, to join the overwhelming majority of nations that already recognise Palestine,” David Shoebridge, the Greens spokesperson on foreign affairs, said in a statement.

“Genocide is not a communications problem; an escalating series of statements will not end it. By contrast, ending the two-way arms trade as part of a comprehensive sanctions regime would have a significant impact. If Australia stopped exporting F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, over time, Israel’s fleet of 40 F-35 fighter jets, being used to bomb Gaza, would be grounded.”

“This announcement, while welcome, will not meet the overwhelming calls from the Australian public for the government to take material action,” Shoebridge said.