Australia reverses decision to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Australia on Tuesday reversed a decision of the previous government to recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying the status of the city should be resolved through peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia “will always be a steadfast friend of Israel” and was committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist in peace within internationally recognised borders.
The government “recommits Australia to international efforts in the responsible pursuit of progress towards a just and enduring two-state solution,” she said in a statement.
Previous Prime Minister Scott Morrison had reversed decades of Middle East policy in December 2018 by saying Australia recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but would not move its embassy there immediately.
Former United States President Donald Trump had recognised Jerusalem as the capital a year earlier.