Australia no longer recognizes West Jerusalem as its capital Israel. The Israeli government was angry with Australia’s decision.
Reported AFP, on Tuesday (10/18/2022), the move means reversing the controversial policies of the former Conservative Australian government. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stressed that the status of the city of Jerusalem would be decided through peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, not through a unilateral decision.
“We will not advocate a destructive approach (the two-state solution),” Wong said in a statement.
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“The Australian embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv.”
In 2018, Australia’s Conservative government led by former Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison followed in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump by recognizing West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The move then sparked a strong reaction at home and sparked friction with Indonesia. The policy led to the temporary cancellation of the free trade agreement.
Jerusalem is claimed by both Israel and Palestine. Most foreign governments avoid officially declaring it the capital of any country.
“I know this has caused conflict and unrest in some Australian communities, and now the government is working to resolve it,” Wong said in a statement.
Wong also accused the Morrison government of being motivated by the by-elections in the Sydney area, which has a sizable Jewish community. The current Australian Labor government with Anthony Albanese as prime minister has been in power since May 2022.
In his statement, Wong insisted that this latest decision does not imply any hostility towards it Israel.
“Australia will always be a faithful friend of Israel. We were among the first countries to officially recognize Israel,” he said.
“We will not hesitate to support the Israeli and Jewish communities in Australia. We are equally adamant in supporting the Palestinian people, including humanitarian support,” added Wong.
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