Australia has reversed the former government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and said the issue should be resolved as part of peace addresses between Israel and Palestine.
“Australia is committed to a two-state result in which Israel and an unborn Palestinian state attend, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday during a media briefing.
In 2018, the conservative coalition government led by Scott Morrison formally recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing decades of Middle East policy.
“This reverses the Morrison government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Australia’s position has always been and remains in Tel Aviv,” Wong said.
She said the former government’s move in 2018 was a “pessimistic play, unprofitable, to win the seat of Wentworth in a byelection”.
In 2017, also- US chairman Donald Trump officially recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing decades of the US policy of remaining neutral on the holy megacity.
The US move touched off wide demurrers in the Palestinian homes and several countries amid excoriations from Arab and Muslim countries.
“What people allowed was the high minister of the day was trying to play foreign policy in order to win votes in the seat. For that reason, I made clear at the time, we reaffirmed our view that Jerusalem is a final status issue. What do those words mean? It means that has to be resolved through concession between the parties,” Wong added.
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Occupied areas
Washington’s European abettors have also criticised the move, advising that the US decision would worsen relations between Palestinians and Israelis as well as spark uneasiness in the region.
Israel enthralled the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the 1967 Middle East War. It adjoined the entire megacity in 1980, claiming it as Israel’s “eternal” capital — a move noway recognised by the transnational community.
Transnational law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “engaged home” and considers all Jewish agreement-structure exertion on the land to be illegal.
Palestinians charge Israel of waging an aggressive crusade to “Judaize” the major megacity by effacing its Arab and Islamic identity and driving out its Palestinian occupants.
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Source: TRT World
