International Minister Penny Wong says authorities ‘regrets’ choice made by earlier administration and reiterates dedication to two-state resolution.
Australia says it is going to now not recognise West Jerusalem because the capital of Israel, reversing a choice taken by the federal government of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2018.
“In the present day the Authorities has reaffirmed Australia’s earlier and longstanding place that Jerusalem is a closing standing challenge that must be resolved as a part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian folks,” International Minister Penny Wong mentioned in a press release.
“This reverses the Morrison Authorities’s recognition of West Jerusalem because the capital of Israel.”
Wong reiterated that Australia’s embassy would stay in Tel Aviv and that Canberra was dedicated to a two-state resolution “wherein Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and safety, inside internationally recognised borders”.
She added: “We won’t help an strategy that undermines this prospect.”
The standing of Jerusalem is likely one of the largest sticking factors in makes an attempt to achieve a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel regards all the metropolis, together with the jap sector it annexed after the 1967 Center East struggle, as its capital whereas Palestinian officers, with broad worldwide backing, need occupied East Jerusalem because the capital of a future state they hope to ascertain within the occupied West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip.
Morrison introduced his conservative authorities would recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital after the US went again on a long time of coverage by recognising the town and transferring the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.
The Australian choice was extensively criticised by pro-Palestinian teams in addition to by the Labor social gathering, which was then in opposition and promised to reverse the transfer if it was elected.
“I remorse that Mr Morrison’s choice to play politics resulted in Australia’s shifting place,” Wong mentioned.
She added that the federal government of Anthony Albanese would recommit Australia to worldwide efforts in direction of “a simply and enduring two-state resolution”.
Australia would “at all times be a steadfast good friend of Israel”, the assertion mentioned, and that its representatives are “equally unwavering supporters of the Palestinian folks”.
The potential change was first reported by the London-based Guardian newspaper on Monday after it famous that sentences referencing West Jerusalem and plans for the eventual relocation of the Australian embassy had been eliminated.