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AUSTRALIA DROPS RECOGNITION OF JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL'S CAPITAL
Australia has reversed a previous government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the foreign minister said Tuesday.
The center-left Labor Party government Cabinet agreed to again recognize Tel Aviv as the capital and reaffirmed that Jerusalem’s status must be resolved in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.
Australia remained committed to a two-party solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and “we will not support an approach that undermines this prospect,” Mr. Wong said.
Former conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison formally recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2018, although the Australian embassy remained in Tel Aviv.
The change followed the then-U. S. President Donald Trump’s decision to shift the U. S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. President Joe Biden has kept the embassy in Jerusalem as the U. S. steps back from its once-intense mediation between the Israelis and Palestinians,
Mr. Wong described Mr. Morrison’s move as out of step internationally and a “cynical” attempt to win a byelection in a Sydney locale with a large Jewish population.Mr. Morrison’s Liberal Party ran Jewish candidate Dave Sharma who was defeated in the byelection but won the seat in the next general election.
Mr. Morrison’s government was elected out of office in May after nine years in power.srael vexed as Australia reverses recognitionIsraeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid criticised the move comes as he prepares to face November 1 elections.
We can only hope that the Australian government manages other matters more seriously and professionally,” he said.Israel annexed east Jerusalem following the 1967 Six Day War and has declared the entire city as its eternal and indivisible capital”. Palestinians claim the eastern part as the capital of a future state.
Palestinian Authority’s Civil Affairs Minister, Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the move by Canberra as an affirmation” that Jerusalem’s status depends on a final status talks. Indonesia also welcomed the decision.This policy would hopefully contribute positively to Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations,” the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta said.
