Occupied Jerusalem, MINA – Australia is considering recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving its embassy to Jerusalem, according to a statement from the office of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Monday with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who informed the Israeli leader that he was “weighing officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem,” according to a readout of the call from Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office.
During a press conference in Canberra Tuesday, Morrison told reporters that a decision is yet to be made about whether to relocate the Australian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
He said, “No decision has been made regarding the recognition of the capital or the movement of an embassy,” but that Australia’s “government is open-minded about this.”
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He added that, in the next few months, he would “confer with cabinet colleagues” and “with other leaders around the world to gauge the perception of this and to make the case.”
Morrison also reiterated Australia’s commitment “to a two-state solution,” but added: “Frankly, it hasn’t been going that well. Not a lot of progress has been made.”
The move would make Australia the third country to have its embassy in occupied Jerusalem, joining the United States and Guatemala.
Paraguay had initially moved its embassy to Jerusalem following America’s lead, but the country’s new leader reversed the decision recently.
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The United States officially relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem—home to the third holiest site in Islam, al-Aqsa Mosque, in May, sparking universal condemnation and protests.(R/R04/RS5)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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