Australian Foreign Minister Confirms Non-Recognition Of West Jerusalem As Israeli Capital

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2022) Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday confirmed that the incumbent government is reversing its predecessors' recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, standing by the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Today the Government has reaffirmed Australia's previous and longstanding position that Jerusalem is a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people. This reverses the Morrison Government's recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Wong said in a statement.

The minister stressed that Australia never changed the location of its embassy in Tel Aviv.

"Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders. We will not support an approach that undermines this prospect," Wong said.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said earlier in the day that Australia's decision was "hasty" and Australian Ambassador to Israel Paul Griffiths would be summoned to the Israeli foreign ministry on Tuesday.

In 2018, Morrison announced that Australia recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and intended to open trade and defense offices there. However, the Labor party that now runs the government did not accept the decision and reverted it.

Both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capital, and the status of the holy city has long been regarded as a matter that must be resolved through a Palestinian-Israeli peace process.