This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/16/australia-may-move-embassy-in-israel-to-jerusalem
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Australia may move embassy in Israel to Jerusalem | Australia may move embassy in Israel to Jerusalem |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australia may follow US president Donald Trump’s lead and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. | Australia may follow US president Donald Trump’s lead and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. |
| The prime minister, Scott Morrison, is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday as part of a foreign policy statement on Israel in Canberra. | The prime minister, Scott Morrison, is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday as part of a foreign policy statement on Israel in Canberra. |
| Morrison, an evangelical Christian, has credited the Liberal party’s Wentworth byelection candidate Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, with raising the issue. | Morrison, an evangelical Christian, has credited the Liberal party’s Wentworth byelection candidate Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, with raising the issue. |
| “He’s arguing it can be done consistent with Australia’s long-running position ... He’s actually changing the way in which the issue is conceived,” Morrison told Fairfax Media. | “He’s arguing it can be done consistent with Australia’s long-running position ... He’s actually changing the way in which the issue is conceived,” Morrison told Fairfax Media. |
| On Tuesday morning Australian time the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a tweet he had spoken to Morrison about the proposal. | On Tuesday morning Australian time the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a tweet he had spoken to Morrison about the proposal. |
| “I spoke today with [Scott Morrison]. He informed me that he is considering officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel & moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem. I’m very thankful to him for this. We will continue to strengthen ties between [Australia and Israel].” | “I spoke today with [Scott Morrison]. He informed me that he is considering officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel & moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem. I’m very thankful to him for this. We will continue to strengthen ties between [Australia and Israel].” |
| Wentworth, the blue-ribbon Sydney electorate formerly held by Malcolm Turnbull, has a large Jewish community and voters will go to the polls this weekend. | Wentworth, the blue-ribbon Sydney electorate formerly held by Malcolm Turnbull, has a large Jewish community and voters will go to the polls this weekend. |
| On Monday the Liberal party candidate in the seat, Dave Sharma, told an election forum he was “open” to moving the embassy. | On Monday the Liberal party candidate in the seat, Dave Sharma, told an election forum he was “open” to moving the embassy. |
| Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, has previously written that he believed Australia should “consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital”. | Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, has previously written that he believed Australia should “consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital”. |
| Even if Australia did not move the embassy it should “at least consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital without prejudice to its final boundaries or potential status as capital of future Palestinian state”, he wrote on Twitter in May. | Even if Australia did not move the embassy it should “at least consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital without prejudice to its final boundaries or potential status as capital of future Palestinian state”, he wrote on Twitter in May. |
| “Where else do we disagree with a country about where its capital is.” | “Where else do we disagree with a country about where its capital is.” |
| Earlier this year the US moved its embassy, effectively recognising Jerusalem as the true capital of Israel. Israeli forces shot and kill 58 Palestinians and wounded at least 1,200 after the decision sparked massive protests in Gaza. | Earlier this year the US moved its embassy, effectively recognising Jerusalem as the true capital of Israel. Israeli forces shot and kill 58 Palestinians and wounded at least 1,200 after the decision sparked massive protests in Gaza. |
| Any move by Australia would be a departure from the position taken by Turnbull when he was prime minister and by the former foreign minister Julie Bishop. | Any move by Australia would be a departure from the position taken by Turnbull when he was prime minister and by the former foreign minister Julie Bishop. |
| In June, after the Liberal party’s youth wing passed a motion supporting the move, Bishop said there was no chance of the government moving its embassy. | In June, after the Liberal party’s youth wing passed a motion supporting the move, Bishop said there was no chance of the government moving its embassy. |
| “While I understand the sentiment behind this resolution, the Australian government will not be moving our embassy to Jerusalem,” Bishop said at the time. | “While I understand the sentiment behind this resolution, the Australian government will not be moving our embassy to Jerusalem,” Bishop said at the time. |
| “Jerusalem is a final status issue and we have maintained that position for decades and we are doing all we can do to ensure that any support we give to the Palestinian Authority is only used for purposes that we determine.” | “Jerusalem is a final status issue and we have maintained that position for decades and we are doing all we can do to ensure that any support we give to the Palestinian Authority is only used for purposes that we determine.” |
| So far only the US and its ally Guatemala have moved their embassies to Jerusalem. | So far only the US and its ally Guatemala have moved their embassies to Jerusalem. |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Scott Morrison | Scott Morrison |
| Wentworth byelection | Wentworth byelection |
| Israel | Israel |
| Coalition | |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |