Malaysian PM warns Scott Morrison moving embassy in Israel could lift terror threat
Malaysia’s Prime Minister has warned Scott Morrison that moving the Australia’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem could raise the threat of terrorism.
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MALAYSIA’S leader has warned Scott Morrison that shifting Australia’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would add “to the cause of terrorism”, in a dramatic escalation of Muslim criticism of the proposal.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s blunt comments come a day after Indonesia’s president expressed concern to Mr Morrison about the embassy issue, which has come to dominate the Australian leader’s visit to Singapore for a series of meetings with world leaders.
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“We raised the issue,” Dr Mahathir told reporters after talks with Mr Morrison on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit.
“You see I pointed out that in dealing with terrorism one has to know the causes.
“Adding to the cause of terrorism is not going to be helpful. I pointed that out.”
It is understood Mr Morrison had expected his counterpart from Muslim-majority Malaysia — who has made anti-Semitic remarks in the past and has a long history of criticising Australia — to raise the embassy issue.
But it us understood that the meeting was positive otherwise.
Mr Morrison yesterday did not back away from the announcement made during the Wentworth by-election, that Australia would consider moving its embassy from Tel Aviv. He dismissed reports there was only a 5 per cent chance the move — which is contentious because Jerusalem is disputed territory between Jews and Palestinians — would go ahead.
“We have our process that is in place to consider the matter,” he said.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten said Mr Morrison had made a “mistake” floating the embassy move and that it “made our country look stupid”. Mr Morrison responded by accusing the Labor leader of being “quick to take cues on Australia’s foreign policy from those outside Australia”.
The embassy dispute has clouded an otherwise successful trip for Mr Morrison — his first as leader at an international summit.
Mr Morrison held talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who said the relationship between the two countries was back on track despite tension between the Asian giant and close Australian ally the US.
In an orchestrated diplomatic moment, Mr Morrison walked straight from his talks with Premier Li into a dinner with US Vice-President Mike Pence.
He said Australia’s relationship with both countries was “different” but “successful”. “Australia doesn’t have to choose and we won’t choose” between them, he said.
Mr Morrison said he and Mr Li discussed the government’s plan to inject billions more in aid into the South Pacific, which has been widely viewed as a response to China’s growing dominance in the region.
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