Israel convenes Australian ambassador over ‘disastrous decision’

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Israel reportedly summoned Australian ambassador and chastised him The Albanian government’s decision not to recognize West Jerusalem as its capital.

of sydney morning herald Aliza bin Noun, head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Political Department, reports that she met with Australian Ambassador Paul Griffiths for more than 30 minutes on Tuesday.

Ms Bin-Noun called Australia’s move to withdraw its official accreditation a “miserable decision” that could fuel extremism and ignite further unrest in the region. SMH report.

In a ministry statement, Bin-Noun said Israel would consider next steps.

She called the change in government policy “a disastrous decision that ignores the deep and enduring ties between Israel and its historic capital and runs counter to the good relations between Israel and Australia.”

She also objected to the decision made between Sukkot and Simhat Torah, where Jews celebrate their special connection with Jerusalem, writing: SMH.

Both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capital.

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison recognized West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2018 and said Australia would move its embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the dispute between Israel and Palestine should be resolved through peace negotiations between the two sides.

An Australian Palestinian diplomat welcomed the announcement, saying the initial decision was a “flag violation of international law”.

“The reversal … is a step in the right direction towards the effective implementation of bilateral solutions and the achievement of just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” said the delegation to Australia.

They also urged the Australian government to recognize Palestine as a state “without further delay to save the two-state solution”.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed disappointment with the decision.

“Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel, and nothing can change that,” Rapid said in a statement.

Australia’s Jewish Executive Council attacked the government, branding the reversal “a gratuitous insult to a major economic and strategic ally”.

“This decision panders to the most extreme elements of the Labor Party and will also discourage Palestinians from returning to negotiations,” it said in a statement.

“The arguments of those who oppose recognizing West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, an argument that ignites unrest in the Arab world, have been shown to be manipulative and inaccurate.”

Senator Wong said Jerusalem remains a matter of final status and that status is subject to peace talks.

She said Morrison’s move was purely political to win a by-election for a seat with a large Jewish population and was out of step with the majority of the international community.

She said the Australian embassy was “always and remains in Tel Aviv”.

The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Australia’s support for the Israeli community and the Palestinian people.

“We regret that Mr Morrison’s decision to enter politics has resulted in a change in Australia’s position and the pain that change has caused.”

A spokesperson for Morrison told AAP that the decision was regrettable.

“(It) represents a further decline in Australian support for the state of Israel by the Labor government from the high-water mark established by the Morrison government,” she said.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton, leaving the coalition open to abandoning Mr Morrison’s policies, told reporters:

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said he supported the Morrison administration’s decision, but did not comment on whether it would remain a coalition policy.

“The decision-making and process seemed so chaotic and haphazard that everyone was surprised,” the former minister said.

-with AAP