Morrison locks in policy shift to West Jerusalem

Australia will become one of the few countries in the world to formally recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Scott Morrison in Brisbane yesterday. Picture: AAP

Australia will become one of the few countries in the world to formally recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in a move that Scott Morrison claims is aimed at advancing the stalled Middle East peace process.

As first revealed by Thje Weekend Australian, the Prime Minister has announced in a speech today the shift in foreign policy to endorse ­Israel’s claim to the contested city as its rightful capital, while ­accusing the UN of presiding over a new age of anti-Semitism.

At the same time, the Morrison government will commit to recognising a future Palestinian state, with its capital in East Jerusalem, once an enduring settlement has been reached on a two-state solution to end the 70-year ­conflict.

In a speech to the Sydney Institute today, Mr Morrison said the decision is consistent with Australia’s historical record as being the chair of a committee that first recommended the creation of the state of Israel, which was declared in 1948.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten says the government’s decision to formally recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital but to not move Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv is a “humiliating backdown” from a rushed by-election announcement.

Mr Morrison was also due to announce a final decision on a review of Australia’s position on the Iran nuclear deal, deciding to retain support but flagging the possibility of “autonomous sanctions” over Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism in the Middle East.

The more controversial measure of following the US in relocating the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will be delayed until the final status of the city is determined under a peace settlement. Instead, a defence and trade office will be established in Jerusalem, in a symbolic gesture of the bilateral relationship. The decision was endorsed by cabinet’s national security committee on Monday.

It is understood the Indonesian government, which refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, has been briefed on the decision. “Foreign policy must speak of our character and our values. What we stand for. What we believe in and, if need be, what we’ll defend,” Mr Morrison said..

“The Australian government has decided that Australia now recognises West Jerusalem, as the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel. And we look forward to moving our embassy to West Jerusalem when practical, in support of, and after, final-status determination. We have decided to start the work now to identify a suitable site for an Australian ­embassy in West Jerusalem.

“Furthermore, recognising our commitment to a two-state solution, the Australian government has also resolved to acknowledge the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a future state with its capital in East Jerusalem. Australia believes this position respects both our commitment to a two-state solution and longstanding respect for relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

Mr Morrison said that, out of respect for the Israeli government’s preference for countries not to establish consulates or honorary consular offices in West Jerusalem, the government would establish a trade and ­defence office in West Jerusalem.

While saying that supporting Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East was in Australia’s interest, Mr Morrison raised concerns over the settlement ­activity in the Palestinian territories. “The Australian government has expressed our strong concern over Israel’s land appropriations, demolitions and settlement ­activity,” he will say. “The settlements undermine peace — and contribute to the stalemate we now see. But we make the point, the international community must move beyond ritual denunciations of Israel, to urge a return to negotiations towards a two-state solution.”

Mr Morrison has also launched his strongest attack yet on the UN and its refusal to acknowledge ­Israel’s claims of self-defence in the face of terrorism and rocket attacks by militant Palestinian group Hamas. Australia last week voted for the first time against a UN resolution that explicitly denied Israel’s claim to sovereignty over Jerusalem. Australia also, at Mr Morrison’s direction, joined a US-led resolution condemning Hamas in a further demonstration of the hawkish shift in Middle East policy under Mr Morrison.

“I have been concerned for some time about the ratcheting up of rhetoric and action aimed at isolating Israel,” Mr Morrison said. “We regard the biased and unfair targeting of Israel in the UN General Assembly in particular as deeply unhelpful to efforts to build peace and stability. The UN General Assembly is now the place where Israel is bullied and where anti-Semitism is cloaked in language about human rights.”

Mr Morrison was accused of politicising the Middle East conflict by announcing a review of the embassy location in the lead-up to the October by-election in Wentworth, which has a large Jewish constituency.

However, he had engaged a review in the days following his rise to the leadership.

Labor has yet to say what position it would take on a move to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move also taken by Russia, Panama and the Czech Republic. The US, Taiwan and Vanuatu recognise Jerusalem in its entirety as the capital of Israel. Mr Morrison’s statement reflects Australia’s official position, which can be repudiated only by an ­official statement to the contrary by a future Labor prime minister.

Mr Shorten said the government’s announcement to move the embassy ahead of the Wentworth by-election in October, where a large number of voters are Jewish, was “risky and foolish”.

“What I’m worried is that Mr Morrison put his political interest ahead of our national interest,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Adelaide.

“I regret that we’ve seen a complex debate derailed by reckless and foolish behaviour.”