Prime Minister Scott Morrison is right to be open about moving the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.
Apart from the obvious fact that each nation has the right to nominate its own capital, Jerusalem has had a Jewish presence for 3000 years going back to the reign of King David.
The claim that Morrison is blindly following President Donald Trump is invalid because our PM appears to be a man of conviction. Trump himself carried out the foreign policy that congress had mandated, but earlier presidents found too hot to handle. Jerusalem is, and always will be, the eternal capital of Israel.
Moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem is contrary to international law. Australia, as a signatory of the UN charter, is bound by article 25 that provides: “The members of the UN agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present charter.”
This is regardless if the resolution is a chapter VII resolution or not; that is a basis for sanctions or armed force. The UN Security Council resolution 478 (1980) called on all member states to withdraw embassies from Jerusalem because it would be prejudicial to any final negotiated settlement.
We can only move an Australian embassy to west Jerusalem if we simultaneously recognise Palestine and move an Australian embassy to east Jerusalem. Anything else is prejudicial. It is like for like. Not one for you and none for the other.
This decision to consider moving Australia’s embassy to (west) Jerusalem was introduced by the Liberal Party in the Wentworth by-election as a wedge to the Jewish community: a choice between a vote for the environment or a vote for Israel.
This is shameful politics for a by-election, not sound policy that seeks for peace and security for the people of Israel and Palestine.
The reaction of Arab and Muslim states, and the Palestinians, to Scott Morrison’s suggestion of moving our embassy to west Jerusalem, demonstrates the intransigence of Israel’s enemies. West Jerusalem is not in dispute, as is east Jerusalem, regarding the capital of a future Palestinian state. But to react so strongly to Israel having west Jerusalem as its capital city suggests that having an Israel is off the menu.
It appears Australia and the government of the day can’t construct its own foreign policy with out the permission of Australian recipients of foreign aid (“Trump ‘strongly’ backs Morrison over Israel”, online, 17/10)
It appears the Palestinians may refuse in future to accept our $40 million and Indonesia more than $600m in aid unless Scott Morrison changes his stance on moving the Australian embassy to Israel’s capital Jerusalem. Perhaps these much-need funds could be redirected to our much deserving and needy farmers?
The Prime Minister has to be naive or worse if he takes seriously the idea that moving our embassy to Jerusalem is supportive of a two-state solution, and by asking us to accept that nonsense it reveals a seriously flawed perception of the intelligence of the Australian people.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority should find their own way towards peace, and we must encourage and be seen to be evenly supportive of it — a process that ensures a fair result for all, at which point we can then celebrate the move to Jerusalem.
Israel’s parliament is in west Jerusalem and that is its capital, but due to pressure from undemocratic neighbours, most countries went to Tel Aviv instead — until a man of principle, Donald Trump, came along and moved the US embassy there. There was no move to displace the Palestinian capital of east Jerusalem.
The reflex opposition to the government’s reconsideration of moving its embassy to Jerusalem was expected, but linking it with any peace process is fanciful.
Over the decades, Israel has accepted every initiative presented to resolve its conflict with the Palestinians, but they have rejected everything. Moving the embassy to west Jerusalem will have no effect on any peace negotiations.
[These letters appeared in The Australian.]