Tony Abbott calls on Scott Morrison to move Australia’s embassy to Jerusalem, defy pressure from Muslim neighbours

Tony Abbott calls on Scott Morrison to move Australia’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and defy pressure from major Muslim neighbours.

Tony Abbott says our Israeli embassy should be moved to Jerusalem so Australia can show its support for the “only functioning liberal pluralist democracy” in the Middle East. Picture: Kym Smith

Tony Abbott has called on Scott Morrison to move Australia’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and defy pressure from major Muslim neighbours.

The Prime Minister is under increasing pressure to announce the decision of his embassy relocation review, as Mr Abbott joined fellow Liberal Party elder John Howard and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in backing the move.

Mr Abbott said last night that the embassy should be moved to Jerusalem so Australia can show its support for the “only functioning liberal pluralist democracy” in the Middle East.

“I think by far the preferable course of action, particularly now that we’ve announced that we are considering it, is to do what should be done and that is, put our embassy in the capital of this very friendly country that deserves our support,” he told Sky News.

.@TonyAbbottMHR on whether Australia should move its Israel embassy: You’ve got to stick to your guns. @ScottMorrisonMP announced that we were considering moving the embassy - I think there are very strong arguments for it.

MORE: https://t.co/AU2oic3Wxl #kennyonsunday pic.twitter.com/vBIT9AlaHl

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 18, 2018

“Israel is a country under existential threat, it is a sibling pluralist democracy, it’s a country which shares our values, which in important respects, metaphorically at least, speaks our language.

“And why shouldn’t we be showing solidarity with the only functioning liberal pluralist democracy in the Middle East, by supporting them and putting our embassy in their capital?”

But Mr Morrison faced pushback on his review from Asian leaders last week at the ASEAN summit including Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, with the latter saying any embassy move would contribute to terrorism.

The Treasurer hit back last week at Dr Mahathir for his embassy move comments and brought up the Malaysian leader’s long history of anti-Semitic comments.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has backed a possible move by saying he would want Australia to eventually have a Palestinian embassy in East Jerusalem.

.@TonyAbbottMHR on whether Australia should move its Israel embassy: I accept that you’re going to create backlash whichever way you go, but in the end that’s an argument for doing what is right.

MORE: https://t.co/AU2oic3Wxl #kennyonsunday pic.twitter.com/Ttif24iEAv

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 18, 2018

Cabinet ministers are not united on moving Australia’s embassy to Jerusalem. Defence Industry Minister Steve Ciobo said last night that he wanted the embassy to remain in Tel Aviv.

“My own personal view is that I think that the current location of the embassy is the right location,” he told ABC News.

“I think there’s been a strong period where that’s been the case.

“Certainly I’m a very strong supporter of the State of Israel but we’ve got to make sure we do these things I think in lockstep with the rest of the world.”