Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Tuesday that he is open to officially recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the Australian Embassy there from its current location. The announcement follows U.S. President Donald Trump's decision last December to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the opening of the U.S. Embassy there in May.
Morrison said the idea had been suggested to him by former Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma, now a candidate for Morrison's conservative Liberal Party in a crucial by-election this Saturday in a Sydney electorate with a large Jewish population.
However, Morrison said Australia remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians envision parts of Jerusalem as the future capital of an independent Palestinian state – a key component of the two-state solution.
"When sensible suggestions are put forward that are consistent with your policy positioning and in this case pursuing a two-state solution, Australia should be open-minded to this and I am open-minded to this and our government is open-minded to this," Morrison told reporters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had recently spoken with Morrison and welcomed the Australian policy shift.
Morrison "informed me that he is considering officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the Australian Embassy to Jerusalem. I'm very thankful to him for this. We will continue to strengthen ties," Netanyahu tweeted.
Following Morrison's announcement, ambassadors from 13 Arab countries convened in Canberra to discuss their concerns that an Australian recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital could damage peace prospects, Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Khairat said.
"We have agreed that we will send a letter to the foreign minister expressing our worries and our concern about such a statement," Khairat said.
"Any decision like that might damage the peace process. ... This will have very negative implications on the relations between Australia and not only Arab countries but many other (Islamic countries) as well."
Morrison also announced that Australia would vote against a United Nations resolution this week to recognize the Palestinian Authority as the chair of the Group of 77 developing countries, and would review the three-year-old Iran nuclear deal.
George Browning, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, accused the government of "aligning itself with the most erratic, reactionary and bullish U.S. foreign policy ever."
"This is an irresponsible policy that compromises the future of millions of people in the Middle East for a handful of votes in Wentworth," Browning said in a statement.
Morrison denied that the United States or the by-election had influenced his announcement.
"I have made this decision without any reference to the United States. It has not come up in any discussion I have had with the president or with officials," Morrison said.
"There has been no request, and there has been no discussion with the United States. Australia makes its decisions about its foreign policy independently. We do so in our own national interests consistent with our own beliefs and our own values."
