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| Ministers set to condemn decision to call East Jerusalem ‘disputed’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Foreign ministers from 57 Islamic nations are considering a statement of condemnation over Australia’s apparent decision to refer to East Jerusalem as “disputed” rather than “occupied” and a call to their governments to “take necessary action” in response. | Foreign ministers from 57 Islamic nations are considering a statement of condemnation over Australia’s apparent decision to refer to East Jerusalem as “disputed” rather than “occupied” and a call to their governments to “take necessary action” in response. |
| The statement from the foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) meeting in Saudi Arabia came at the same time the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, was insisting to ambassadors from many of the same countries, in Canberra, that there had been no change in the Australian position. | The statement from the foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) meeting in Saudi Arabia came at the same time the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, was insisting to ambassadors from many of the same countries, in Canberra, that there had been no change in the Australian position. |
| Ambassadors leaving the meeting described it as "positive". Jordanian ambassador Rima Ahmad Alaadeen said they had "of course … expressed our deep concerns about what took place in recent days and explicitly expressed how important … occupied East Jerusalem is." | Ambassadors leaving the meeting described it as "positive". Jordanian ambassador Rima Ahmad Alaadeen said they had "of course … expressed our deep concerns about what took place in recent days and explicitly expressed how important … occupied East Jerusalem is." |
| The apparent change of language was first revealed earlier this month by the attorney general, George Brandis, who told a Senate estimates committee the term “occupied” East Jerusalem was “freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful”. | The apparent change of language was first revealed earlier this month by the attorney general, George Brandis, who told a Senate estimates committee the term “occupied” East Jerusalem was “freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful”. |
| "It should not and will not be the practice of the Australian government to describe areas of negotiation in such judgmental language," he said. | "It should not and will not be the practice of the Australian government to describe areas of negotiation in such judgmental language," he said. |
| The head of the Palestinian delegation to Canberra, Izzat Abdulhadi, told Guardian Australia that Bishop had explained to the ambassadors at Thursday’s meeting that Brandis had been “talking about occupied with a capital O as a noun and part of East Jerusalem’s name, which the government did not support”. She said she was happy to say East Jerusalem was occupied with a small “o” as a description. | The head of the Palestinian delegation to Canberra, Izzat Abdulhadi, told Guardian Australia that Bishop had explained to the ambassadors at Thursday’s meeting that Brandis had been “talking about occupied with a capital O as a noun and part of East Jerusalem’s name, which the government did not support”. She said she was happy to say East Jerusalem was occupied with a small “o” as a description. |
| Bishop had also told the ambassadors “any policy change from Australia would come from her or the prime minister and not from anyone else”, he said. | Bishop had also told the ambassadors “any policy change from Australia would come from her or the prime minister and not from anyone else”, he said. |
| The ambassadors demanded Bishop release a statement containing her explanation. She agreed to release a letter she had written to some of the ambassadors on Monday. | The ambassadors demanded Bishop release a statement containing her explanation. She agreed to release a letter she had written to some of the ambassadors on Monday. |
| In it she writes: “I emphasise there has been no change in the Australian government’s position on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. Our position is consistent with relevant UN resolutions on the issue … starting with UN security council resolution 242 and 338. Senator Brandis’s statement was about nomenclature, and was not a comment on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories.” | In it she writes: “I emphasise there has been no change in the Australian government’s position on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. Our position is consistent with relevant UN resolutions on the issue … starting with UN security council resolution 242 and 338. Senator Brandis’s statement was about nomenclature, and was not a comment on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories.” |
| Bishop also issued a statement after the meeting, saying: “I have held a constructive meeting this afternoon with the representatives of the Islamic and Arab countries accredited in Canberra. | Bishop also issued a statement after the meeting, saying: “I have held a constructive meeting this afternoon with the representatives of the Islamic and Arab countries accredited in Canberra. |
| “At this meeting I provided a letter reaffirming that there has been no change in the Australian government’s position on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.” | “At this meeting I provided a letter reaffirming that there has been no change in the Australian government’s position on the legal status of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.” |
| Abdulhadi provided a translation of the statement he had received from the (OIC) foreign ministers meeting in Saudi Arabia, which said they “condemned the direction of the Australian government not to describe East Jerusalem as occupied” saying it was “a policy in clear violation of international law and the relevant UN resolutions”. | Abdulhadi provided a translation of the statement he had received from the (OIC) foreign ministers meeting in Saudi Arabia, which said they “condemned the direction of the Australian government not to describe East Jerusalem as occupied” saying it was “a policy in clear violation of international law and the relevant UN resolutions”. |
| The foreign ministers said their countries would “follow up and take actions necessary to respond and uphold international law”. | The foreign ministers said their countries would “follow up and take actions necessary to respond and uphold international law”. |
| He said Bishop’s meeting with ambassadors had calmed talk of trade sanctions “for now” but that the ambassadors would be watching Australia’s actions closely and “could consider further action in the future”. | He said Bishop’s meeting with ambassadors had calmed talk of trade sanctions “for now” but that the ambassadors would be watching Australia’s actions closely and “could consider further action in the future”. |
| UN security council resolution 242 was passed in 1967 after the six-day war and calls for “the withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” | UN security council resolution 242 was passed in 1967 after the six-day war and calls for “the withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” |
| The OIC was formed in 1969 to protect the interests of the Palestinian people. | The OIC was formed in 1969 to protect the interests of the Palestinian people. |
| Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek claimed the government had "tied itself up in knots trying to hide the fact that George Brandis’s freelancing on foreign policy landed Australia in diplomatic hot water." | Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek claimed the government had "tied itself up in knots trying to hide the fact that George Brandis’s freelancing on foreign policy landed Australia in diplomatic hot water." |
| “All this is doing is embarrassing Australia on the international stage and putting billions of dollars of our farmers’ exports at risk," she said. | “All this is doing is embarrassing Australia on the international stage and putting billions of dollars of our farmers’ exports at risk," she said. |
| The full text of the OIC resolution to be put to the ministers, provided by Abdulhadi, reads "The (Council of Foreign Ministers) condemns all the positions that affect the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including the city of Jerusalem. In this context, The Council of Foreign Ministers condemns the direction of the Australian government not to describe the city of East Jerusalem as 'occupied', and confirms (the Council) that this policy is in clear violations of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the relevant United Nations resolutions, especially the UN Security Council resolutions. The Council calls the Government of Australia to respect its obligations under international law in this regard, and demands (the Council) Member States to follow up such illegal stands, and take actions necessary to respond to these illegal positions." | The full text of the OIC resolution to be put to the ministers, provided by Abdulhadi, reads "The (Council of Foreign Ministers) condemns all the positions that affect the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including the city of Jerusalem. In this context, The Council of Foreign Ministers condemns the direction of the Australian government not to describe the city of East Jerusalem as 'occupied', and confirms (the Council) that this policy is in clear violations of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the relevant United Nations resolutions, especially the UN Security Council resolutions. The Council calls the Government of Australia to respect its obligations under international law in this regard, and demands (the Council) Member States to follow up such illegal stands, and take actions necessary to respond to these illegal positions." |