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Australia Drops Recognition of Jerusalem as Capital of Israel

Al-Aqsa Mosque general view. File Photo/AFP
Al-Aqsa Mosque general view. File Photo/AFP
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Australia Drops Recognition of Jerusalem as Capital of Israel

Al-Aqsa Mosque general view. File Photo/AFP
Al-Aqsa Mosque general view. File Photo/AFP

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.”

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Cohen Meeting Escalates Protests in Western Libya Against Unity Government

Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
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Cohen Meeting Escalates Protests in Western Libya Against Unity Government

Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)

Protests have intensified in western Libya against the interim Government of National Unity, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, following the revelation of a meeting between former Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Rome last year.

In response to the demonstrations, Dbeibah accused foreign nations of being “involved in conspiracies to divide the country” and alleged that domestic factions were “fueling the protests” that erupted in multiple cities across western Libya against his government.

While Dbeibah refrained from naming these local factions during a speech delivered on Friday at the conclusion of the Entrepreneurs Forum and General Gathering of Youth Hostel Members in Misrata, he accused them of “manipulating young people to create discord and drag Libya backward.” He stressed that these groups “only seek war, destruction, and corruption.”

Speaking of “real conspiracies to divide Libya,” Dbeibah pledged that the country would remain unified. He addressed the youth, saying: “You are the future. We need you to step forward and defend your nation. We will not accept a return to the logic of force after the February 17 Revolution, and we will not allow it.”

In eastern Libya, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, refrained from commenting on Dbeibah’s statements.

Saleh, however, emphasized that the solution to Libya’s political gridlock lies in holding “free and fair elections, with all sides committed to respecting the results.”

He pointed out that the House of Representatives had enacted electoral laws to facilitate this process and called for the formation of a unified government to steer Libya toward stability.

In remarks broadcast by his media office on Friday, Saleh asserted that he had “taken no actions aimed at excluding or marginalizing any party.” He pointed to the importance of national reconciliation for achieving peace and security and denied aligning with any external or international forces.

Saleh further urged support for the National Reconciliation Law as a vital step toward resolving disputes, stressing “the significance of the peaceful transfer of power.”

On Friday evening, protests erupted in Misrata, Dbeibah’s hometown, coinciding with his visit. Demonstrators expressed their rejection of what they perceived as normalization efforts with Israel and demanded Dbeibah’s resignation. In a statement, some Misrata residents condemned the meetings between his government and Israeli officials as a “grave betrayal.”