Jerusalem capital decision reversed, Penny Wong announces

The Albanese government has reversed its predecessor’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. 

In making the announcement Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Jerusalem’s status as a city claimed both by Israelis and Palestinians meant Australia will go back to recognising Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital.

Ms Wong accused the former Morrison government of switching recognition to West Jerusalem in an attempt to win votes in the Sydney eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth, which has a large Jewish population.     

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced that the Morrison government’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will be reversed

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‘This was a cynical play, unsuccessful, to win the seat of Wentworth and a by-election,’ Ms Wong said.

‘For that reason, I made clear at the time, we reaffirmed our view that Jerusalem is a final status issue. 

‘What do those words mean? It means that has to be resolved through negotiation between the parties.’

The holy city of Jerusalem remains a sticking point in peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians 

Ms Wong said the  2018 decision ‘put Australia out of step with the majority of the international community and it was received with great concern’.

Australia’s embassy ‘has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv’, Ms Wong said.

Ms Wong said Australia wanted to see an enduring ‘two-state solution’ to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

An Israeli security guard confronts Palestinian protesters in east Jerusalem during October

Recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital undermined that prospect, Ms Wong said. 

‘I also wish to say to the members of the Jewish community, Australia will always be a steadfast friend of Israel,’ Ms Wong said.

The decision was made by cabinet on Tuesday morning, but the Department of Foreign Affairs had moved ahead of the decision to update the Israel page on its website.

Senator Wong said while the updating of the website occurred ahead of government processes, she would not put the blame on anyone.

‘That happens, that’s why I am here today making sure we are clear about our position,’ she said. 

Teal Allegra Spender claimed the once blue ribbon Liberal seat of Wentworth in the May federal election

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The Morrison government recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital after the former Trump administration moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem. 

Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the future capital of a state of Palestine.

Following the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 East Jerusalem remained under the control of neighbourning Arab state Jordan until 1967, when it was annexed to Israeli control in the six-day war. 

The seat of Wentworth, formerly a blue ribbon Sydney seat that sent former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to Canberra, fell out of the Coalition’s hands to Teal candidate Allegra Spender in the May election. 

In 2018 it was won by independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, who lost it to Liberal Dave Sharma in the 2019 general poll.