Libs to make Jerusalem election issue
The federal coalition will take the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital to the next election.
Simon Birmingham
The Labor government reversed a 2018 decision by then prime minister Scott Morrison to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move Australia’s embassy.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the decision broke from decades of bipartisanship to have the issue resolved by Israel and Palestine.
Both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capital.
She accused Mr Morrison of using the issue as a political football to win votes.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham told AAP the coalition’s position had not changed.
“It remains the coalition’s view that West Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” he said.
“It functions as the capital for the Israeli government in all purposes.
“So long as it remains Israel’s choice, their functional capital going forward, that will be the view we take into the next election and into government if we are re-elected.”
But he maintained the final boundaries for Israel and Palestine and the status of East Jerusalem were to be negotiated by the two parties.
The coalition expressed anger at the reversal and how it had been handled by the government, with it being announced on a Jewish holiday and catching the Israeli government off guard.
But when asked why West Jerusalem should be Israel’s recognised capital in light of the reversal, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said: “We took a policy to the last election, we will make an announcement about our policy in the run-up to the next election.”
Senator Birmingham said a Liberal-National government would handle the matter more sensitively and consult with all parties if elected.
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “Senator Birmingham’s reaffirmation that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital both reflects the reality on the ground and is a welcome position of principle. Israel’s institutions of state are in Jerusalem, and all countries have the right to determine their own capital. We thank Senator Birmingham and his colleagues for maintaining this principled position.”
Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the ECAJ told J-Wire: “We welcome and deeply appreciate the Shadow Foreign Minister’s statement. The Jewish community is still shocked and dismayed by the reversal of Australia’s recognition of west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Senator Birmingham’s statement gives us renewed heart, and will send a message internationally that Australia and Australians are far from united behind last week’s decision.“
Dr Colin Rubenstein, the executive director of AIJAC, added: Simon Birmingham’s statement that Coalition’s policy is to resume recognition of west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is both very welcome and frankly, sensible – especially in the post-Abraham Accords era. The Government’s stance on Jerusalem is both disrespectful of Israel as a long-standing friend and ally – making it the only country in the world denied the right to choose its own capital – and nonsensical as a way to promote the shared bipartisan goal of encouraging a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians. Birmingham deserves much credit and our appreciation for saying as much, reflecting his sound understanding of Mideast realities and of Australia’s true national interest and values.
AAP/J-Wire
