Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Tuesday that Canberra has reversed its recognition of west Jerusalem because the capital of Israel.
“Jerusalem is a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people,” Wong stated in a press release.
Wong held a media briefing shortly after releasing the assertion, saying that Australia was dedicated to a two-state answer through which “Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, and within internationally recognised borders.”
She stated that Australia wouldn’t help an strategy that undermined the prospect, including: “Australia’s Embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv.”
Wong additionally stated Canberra would at all times be “a steadfast friend of Israel,” persevering with on to say they have been “the first countries to formally recognise Israel.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong proclaims the choice to reverse the Morrison Government’s recognition of West Jerusalem because the capital of Israel.
She says it was a “cynical play” by the previous prime minister, through the Wentworth by-election in 2018 @abcnews
#auspol pic.twitter.com/Kh4iW4mo2o
— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) October 18, 2022
“We will not waver in our support of Israel and the Jewish community in Australia. We are equally unwavering in our support of the Palestinian people, including humanitarian support,” she added.
Australia recognised West Jerusalem as capital of Israel in 2018
In 2018, the conservative coalition authorities led by [former Prime Minister] Scott Morrison formally recognised west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing a long time of coverage.
Australia grew to become the third nation to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, following the US and Guatemala.
But in contrast to the others, Australia recognised solely the western a part of the contested metropolis.
Former US President Donald Trump made no distinction between the east and west of town when he introduced his determination to recognise Jerusalem as capital of Israel in 2017 and a plan to maneuver the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Scott Morrison stated on the time that the Australian Embassy would stay in Tel Aviv, although plans may change.
Palestinians declare east Jerusalem as capital of any future state, whereas Israel sees your complete metropolis as its capital. East Jerusalem is house to town’s most spiritual websites.
Department of Foreign Affairs drops language regarding West Jerusalem
The announcement got here simply hours after Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade dropped two traces on its web site regarding the Morrison goverment’s recognition of west Jerusalem because the capital of Israel
The Department dropped the road that stated Australia seemed ahead to transferring its embassy to west Jerusalem after the battle between Israel and Palestine was resolved.
After virtually a decade of conservative rule, Labor’s Anthony Albanese grew to become prime minister in May 2022.
