Australia’s representative to the United Nations has directly endorsed recognising Palestinian statehood to build “momentum towards a two-state solution”, Australian broadcaster SBS reports.

“A two-state solution — a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel — is the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence, and the only hope of a just and enduring peace, for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Australia’s ambassador to the UN James Larsen said in a speech on the floor of the assembly.

“Like other partners, Australia no longer sees recognition of a Palestinian state as only occurring at the end of negotiations but rather as a way of building momentum towards a two-state solution.”

Larsen went on to endorse the efforts by the French and Saudi Arabian governments to build international support, ahead of an international conference next month. “To that end, Australia welcomes the conference’s ambition of a time-bound, irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution,” he said.

Larsen said durable peace “will require a reformed Palestinian Authority”, and that Australia had “committed to support public administration capacity building”.