Former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma has called on the Turnbull government to consider recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel even if it does not move the embassy from Tel Aviv.
After the single deadliest day in the Gaza Strip since 2014, with the death toll rising to 58, international debate ramped up over whether Donald Trump’s historic decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem had stymied the peace process.
Washington’s allies in Europe and the Middle East yesterday criticised the US over the embassy relocation and called on Israel to restrain its forces after the bloodshed. The strongest criticism came from Britain and France, who both condemned the violence. “There has got to be restraint in the use of live rounds,” British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.
The Trump administration defended the embassy move and refused to criticise Israel’s use of force, instead blaming Palestinian group Hamas for the deadly confrontations.
The Australian confirmed Australia’s ambassador to Israel Chris Cannan — along with other diplomats representing Western powers — did not attend the inauguration of the new US embassy despite having received an invitation. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday said Mr Cannan was not in the country and could “not attend” the celebration.
All countries with diplomatic representation in Israel were invited to the gala event, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
While 32 countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, South Sudan, Albania and Ukraine said they would attend, countries including Five Eyes intelligence sharing powers the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, along with Germany, France and Spain did not send their ambassadors to the event. European countries to attend included Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania.
Read the article by Primrose Riordan in The Australian.