Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts has sought to mend Labor’s relations with the Jewish community with a major speech declaring Australia’s commitment to Israel “has not wavered in the slightest”, after its decision to drop recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital resulted in a significant backlash.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade this month quietly dropped reference to West Jerusalem from its official Israel web page, prompting questions over whether Labor was officially changing its stance on the city, which Palestine also claims as its capital.
While initially reiterating that Labor’s position on the matter had not changed, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed the next day that Labor would reverse the Morrison government’s move in 2018 to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The move prompted backlash from within Labor’s ranks and internationally, with government officials confirming last week in senate estimates that Anthony Albanese and Israel’s Prime Minister had not spoken since the announcement.
Mr Watts used the Zionist Federation of Australia’s Biennial Conference, which was attended by more than 100 prominent Jewish leaders, to stress the Albanese government’s respect for Israel.
“Australia has always been a friend of Israel,” he said.
“The Albanese Labor government will continue to strengthen that friendship. We are deeply committed to an enduring peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.”
Read the article by Sarah Ison in The Australian.