Dear Prime Minister
The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia Dr Danny Lamm has written to the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking him to think about relocating Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Dear Prime Minister,
Australia’s embassy building in Yehuda Ha-Levi St, Tel Aviv
I write in reference to an issue that is very close to my heart – the location of Australia’s Embassy in Israel. I am asking to you to seriously consider moving Australia’s Embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital.
I can appreciate that there is sensitivity around this issue, but it need not be that way.
Jerusalem is and always has been the beating heart of the Jewish people; it has been the capital of the Jewish nation for over 3,000 years. The Israel government functions from Jerusalem, the courts rule from there. The Prime Minister, your friend Benjamin Netanyahu, resides in Jerusalem.
Every sovereign nation should have the right to define where their capital is. As it currently stands, 124 countries around the world are involved in some sort of territorial dispute, and yet 123 of them still choose their own capitals. Moving Australia’s Embassy to Jerusalem will simply right a historical wrong.
In light of the US Embassy opening on Monday, the Guatemalan Embassy on Wednesday and Paraguay by the end of the month, I urge you to reconsider this issue. I think of Australia as a leader in ethical and moral behaviour, and I believe that we should also be seen as leaders in correcting a wrong.
For your government to champion such a move, to lead what we would hope would be a motion supported from both sides of parliament, would reaffirm your strong commitment to the State of Israel, its sovereignty, its democracy and the values we share.
Kind Regards,
Dr Danny Lamm AM
President
Perhaps the PM would revise his stated views if he became aware of the following facts:
. the Arab ‘Palestinians’ position is that no Israeli concession on any issue will convince them that Israel is legitimate.
. when a new Australian ambassador to Israel seeks to present his/her credentials to the President of Israel, the former is obliged to ascend to Jerusalem.
. when any Australian representative wishes to witness proceedings in Israel’s parliament, he/she is obliged to ascend to Jerusalem.
. when any Australian representative wishes to be present at any proceedings in Israel’s High Court of Justice, he/she is obliged to ascend to Jerusalem.
Whom is he kidding?
Good try, Danny Lamm, and most certainly we should make such a request. No Australian Government will be brave enough to do it though.
We still mouth the irrelevant stance of supporting a two state solution, with Jerusalem being disputed territory until otherwise determined, despite peace talks in reality having been dead for many years and the obvious state of play (the intended annihilation of Israel) being disregarded by all and sundry.
Still, the more we speak out the better.