Australian government reverses recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Australia announced on Tuesday that it is reversing a decision by the previous government and no longer recognizing West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, an announcement described as “hasty” by the Israelis and celebrated by the Palestinian Authority.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Penny Wongsaid in a statement that the status of the city must be resolved “as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people” and not through unilateral decisions.

“We will not support any approach that undermines this perspective”, said the minister of the center-left government of Anthony Albanese, who came to power in May 2022.

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Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid described the decision as “hasty” in a statement issued by his office.

“The only thing we can hope for is that the Australian government manage other matters with more seriousness and professionalism”, Lapid said, while the Israeli foreign ministry summoned the Australian ambassador.

For its part, the Palestinian Authority welcomed Australia’s decision.

“We welcome Australia’s decision regarding Jerusalem and its call for a two-state solution … and its assurance that the future sovereignty of Jerusalem depends on a permanent solution based on international legitimacy,” Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on Twitter.

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The former Australian executive led by Scott Morrison it followed the stance taken in 2018 by then-US President Donald Trump and recognized West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move widely criticized in Australia.

“I know this has caused conflict and distress in parts of the Australian community and today the government is seeking to resolve this.” Wong said Tuesday, recalling that “Australia’s embassy has always been and continues to be in Tel Aviv.”

At the time, the Morrison government’s decision also created problems for Australia with neighboring Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, and derailed — temporarily — a bilateral free trade agreement between the two countries.

On Tuesday, Jakarta celebrated the decision: It is to be hoped that this policy contribute positively to the peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis”, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said.

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a disputed city

Most countries in the world avoid locating their embassies in Jerusalemclaimed by Israelis and Palestinians, so as not to condition the outcome of an eventual peace process between the two sides.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 in the Six-Day War and later annexed it, declaring the city its “eternal and indivisible capital”.

Lapid insisted on this idea on Tuesday: “Jerusalem is the eternal and united capital of Israel and nothing will ever change that”he said in his statement.

But the Palestinians also claim the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future state.

The Australian minister assured that the decision was not intended to be hostile towards Israel and that Canberra “You will always be a firm ally” From Israel.

“We will not waver in our support for Israel and the Jewish community in Australia. We will also not waver in our support for the Palestinian people, including humanitarian aid.” defended.

Before officially announcing the decision, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had removed a reference to West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from its website.

Ran Porat, a research historian at Melbourne’s Monash University, said the decision “not unimportant”. “In the Middle East, symbolism in general is at the center of many conflicts”said.

The Israeli Likud opposition, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, may use this change to attack Lapid ahead of the November 1 elections, he said.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.