CANBERRA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) – The government of Australian Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has overturned his conservative predecessor Scott Morrison’s decision to recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“The Australian embassy has always been and will remain in Tel Aviv,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Tuesday.
“I am sorry that Mr Morrison’s political decision has led to this change in Australia’s position and the dismay this change has caused to many members of the Australian community who are very concerned about this issue,” he said.
In 2018, then Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move following the decision by then US President Donald Trump to move the States Embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem.
Ms. Wong said it was “Australia’s longstanding and previous position” that Jerusalem’s final status will have to be “resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people.”
“Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders,” he added.
According to the ABC channel, the Labor party had pledged before the legislative elections last May to abandon the recognition decided by the Morrison government should it win the election. The current Department of Foreign Affairs and Commerce has already removed any online reference to this past decision. end
