Australia no longer recognises West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing the policy adopted by former prime minister Scott Morrison’s government, according to a report in the Guardian.
In 2018, a year after US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in defiance of international law, Morrison suggested he was “open minded” to follow suit.
The government later decided not to move its embassy until a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine, but that it would recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
In recent days, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade removed references of its recognition of West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital from its website.
The deleted sentences read: “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.
“Australia looks forward to moving its embassy to West Jerusalem when practical, in support of, and after the final status determination of, a two-state solution.”
The update was made following the Guardian’s request for comment on the matter.
The Australian Labor Party, which has been in government since June, said in 2018 that it “does not support unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and in government would reverse this decision”.
However the now deleted references to West Jerusalem remained on the website until last week.
“The Australian government continues to consider the final status of Jerusalem as a matter to be resolved as part of any peace negotiations,” a foreign affairs ministry spokesperson said.
In 1967, Israel occupied and annexed the eastern part of the city of Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim as the capital of a future state, in a move that has never been recognised by the international community or international law.
Last month, British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her intention to explore moving the British embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The review has been widely criticised by UK opposition parties, United Nations experts, and senior Muslim and Christian religious figures.