Australia says it will end its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital
NPR Online NewsDec 23, 2022
The Facts
On Tuesday, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that the new Labor government has reversed former PM Scott Morrison’s 2018 decision to formally recognize West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying Jerusalem's status should be resolved through peace negotiations, not unilateral decisions.
Wong announced the Labor Government was committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist "in peace and stability," adding that Australia's embassy would remain in Tel Aviv, where it "has always been."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Besides being a poor policy move that panders to the most drastic parts of Australia's labor party, the way the news was delivered is insulting: Approved on a Jewish holiday, the Australian government thought the quiet removal of Jerusalem's status from its website would go unnoticed — a chaotic and unprofessional lack of courtesy.
Pro-establishment narrative
Australia is firmly committed to a two-state solution, and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel directly undermines this. Australia's former PM Morrison's 2018 decision was nothing more than a manipulative attempt to win favor, and the new Labor leadership has rightly reversed this.
