A sovereign state has the right to determine its capital city. In a rational world, recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would be a mere statement of fact. The location of foreign embassies in Israel would be a sovereign decision.
But rationality left the building when Islamists entered the fray. Islamic state leaders have threatened Israel and Western allies over relocating foreign embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It is none of their business. Such states commonly house foreign embassies in their capital cities. We cannot accept the Islamic world dictating the terms of Australian foreign policy. We cannot capitulate to Islamist bullies on the question of Israel’s right to exist because it is inextricably bound to our own.
Israel is the only pluralistic democracy in the Middle East. It is flanked by Islamic theocracies with ties to terrorist groups that aim to destroy the West. The most immediate threat is from Hamas, the jihadist group that governs Gaza. In response to the US decision to relocate its foreign embassy to Jerusalem, Hamas called for an intifada.
It is consistent with international practice to house foreign embassies near national governments in capital cities. The fact has been conveniently overlooked by Islamic states confecting outrage that the Australian government should consider relocating its embassy to Jerusalem.
Among the pressure tactics Islamists use to punish Western allies of Israel, emotional blackmail is the most objectionable. Last month, the Palestinian envoy to Canberra warned billions in trade would be at risk if Australia moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
Indonesian ministers indicated that the signing of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was subject to foreign policy. They suggested it had been delayed because of the embassy issue. It seems hypocritical given the Australian embassy in Indonesia is located in its capital city, Jakarta. Has Israel threatened to cut trade ties with Australia because of it?
At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit last week, Malaysia made its objection to Australia’s alliance with Israel known. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad seemed to suggest that moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem would cause terrorism. The Australian high commission in Malaysia is located in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Has that caused terrorism?
The absurdity of Islamic states objecting to foreign embassies in Jerusalem would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous. Consider how emboldened they must feel to threaten blackmail and incite terror against the West.
Last month, the ABC ran an article claiming the embassy move would sabotage the Middle East peace process. Under the subheading “Decision evoked surprise and disgust” it quoted Palestinian Jawad Syiam, who runs a group that monitors Jewish settler activity in Arab neighbourhoods.
He described the US President as “the devil” and Australia’s plan to move the embassy to Jerusalem as “following the devil”. He said that it was “a stupid decision from a country that wanted to keep away from any attacks, from any problems”.
The idea that Australians defending a free world nation against Islamists amounts to devil worship is absurd. But conspiracies abound whenever Donald Trump or Israel come into frame. The fact is the US congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act with bipartisan support in 1995. It recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and supported relocating the embassy.
Trump realised that moving the US embassy to Jerusalem was an affirmation of Israel’s sovereignty. In international affairs, such recognition is sorely needed.
At the UN, Arab states commonly organise to denounce Israel. In 2016, the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council adopted 18 resolutions against the state. The culmination was Resolution 2334, which held that Israel had no right to the land its people had inhabited since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
If you want to know what a caliphate looks like, witness Islamic states claiming the right to determine your national boundaries, capital city and international relations. Then watch the free world fall over itself to apologise for hurting Islamist sensibilities.
Our political class seems to believe cowardice is the composition of artful diplomacy. Permit me to correct the record for Islamist leaders who think bullying free world countries will pave the way to victory. Do not threaten Australia. Do not blackmail us. And do not interfere with our sovereign decisions. Our relationship with Israel is not your concern. We will not be cowed by states that deny their own citizens basic human rights, universal freedom and equality under law.
Australian politicians could defend the free world by taking a stand against Islamic states that threaten Israel and its allies. But courage under fire is so passe. Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong voiced her objection to moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem on the grounds that harming relations with Indonesia was not in the national interest. If Labor believes Australia’s national interest rests on an Islamic state’s judgment of it, we are in deep trouble.
If the Coalition government’s review recommends relocating the Australian embassy to Jerusalem, expect hostilities to escalate.
After Trump decided to move the US embassy, Islamist groups across the Middle East and Africa called for jihad. Pakistani officials told The Nation that the foreign ministry had contacted the US, saying: “The Jerusalem decision by the US was unacceptable to all the Muslims.” The ministry organised a collective response from Islamic nations: “There have been contacts with Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and other (Muslim-majority) countries. We will contest Washington’s controversial decision at all forums.
“The US has become a party by siding with Israel … Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey are ready to challenge Washington’s unilateral decision. We will raise this issue in the United Nations.”
Islamic states unite against perceived threats to their global community. Free world states should respond in kind. Israel may be a small country but it is part of the free world order. Its people are our people. The free world must rise in unison to defend our own.
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