Alwaght – Australian Premier's remarks about possible recognition of al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the Israeli regime's capital sparked condemnations from Muslim countries.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison whose government faces a crucial by-election in four days, said on Tuesday Canberra was open to recognizing al-Quds as Israel’s capital.
Morrison’s comments about possible embassy move to al-Quds, just like US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision in December, would reverse decades of foreign policy and inflame tension with some of Australia’s Asian neighbors.
Israeli regime lays claim to the whole al-Quds, but the international community views the city’s eastern sector as an occupied territory and Palestinians consider it as the capital of their future state.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, speaking at a joint news conference with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Jakarta, reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution to the Middle East dispute and warned Australia against the risk of insecurity.
“Indonesia asks Australia and other countries to support peace talks ... and not take steps that would threaten that peace process and stability of world security,” Marsudi said.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, where the Palestinian question is a sensitive issue and tens of thousands protested against Trump’s decision.
Palestinian foreign minister also said he was saddened that Australia might violate international law and disrespect a U.N. Security Council resolution.
“They are risking Australia’s trade and business relationship with the rest of the world, in particular (the) Arab and Muslim world,” he said.
Ambassadors from 13 Arab countries met in Canberra on Tuesday and agreed to send a letter to Australia’s foreign minister expressing their concern, Egyptian ambassador to Australia Mohamed Khairat said.
Morrison’s openness to recognizing al-Quds and moving Australia’s embassy there comes four days before a by-election in Sydney at which his center-right coalition runs the risk of losing its tenuous hold on power.
The by-election is in the Sydney harborside seat of Wentworth vacated by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was ousted in a party-room coup by members of Morrison’s Liberal party, the senior partner in a Liberal-National coalition, in August.
Census figures show 12.5 percent of people in Wentworth are Jewish, a significantly larger proportion than elsewhere in Australia. The Liberal candidate contesting the by-election on Saturday, Dave Sharma, is a former Australian ambassador to Israeli regime who has floated the idea in the past.
Morrison will have to negotiate with independent lawmakers in order to continue governing in a minority if the coalition loses Saturday’s by-election.
