Australia announced Tuesday it would no longer recognize West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a decision that was welcomed by Palestinians but condemned by Israelis.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Jerusalem's status should be decided through peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, reversing a decision by the previous conservative government.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh welcomed the Australian government's decision, saying it affirms Canberra’s commitment to the two-state solution.
“The Australian government's decision falls in line with international law and international legitimacy, and enhances the chances of establishing an independent Palestinian state,” the PM said.
“It is also a message to Israel that the world will not accept its annexation of the Palestinian territories,” he added.
Shtayyeh praised his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, leader of the Labor Party, and his government for this “wise and bold decision,” hoping that Australia will recognize the State of Palestine on the June 4, 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In return, Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed disappointment in Australia's changed position.
“Jerusalem is the eternal undivided capital of Israel and nothing will change that,” Lapid said in a statement.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement mocking Lapid and holding him responsible for the Australian decision.
In 2018, an Australian conservative government led by Scott Morrison followed former US president Donald Trump's lead in naming West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
The Guardian newspaper said on Monday that Australia has quietly dropped its recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, unwinding language adopted by Scott Morrison’s government after the US moved its own embassy from Tel Aviv.
It said that in the past few days, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has deleted two sentences from its website that were first added after then prime minister Morrison unveiled a new Australian policy four years ago.
The freshly deleted sentences said: “Consistent with this longstanding policy, in December 2018, Australia recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of the Israeli government.”
