Victorian Labor party members to push for ‘immediate’ federal recognition of a Palestinian state

Exclusive: Labor Friends of Palestine to move three urgency resolutions' at weekend conference, but PM maintains no immediate plans for the move

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Victorian Labor members will use this weekend's state conference to demand the federal government immediately" recognise a Palestinian state and impose sanctions on Israel - in what will be their strongest push to date on the issue.

It comes after Anthony Albanese on Sunday described civilian deaths in Gaza as indefensible" but reiterated he had no immediate plans to recognise a Palestinian state and insisted further steps were needed to reach a two-state solution.