Australia: Western Jerusalem is the capital of Israel; Embassy remains in Tel Aviv

The Prime Minister of Australia has announced that his government recognizes Western Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel, but unlike the United States, which moved its embassy to the city, the Australian embassy will remain in Tel Aviv for now. Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, stated on December 14 in Sydney that his country "now recognizes Western Jerusalem, which houses the parliament and other institutions, as the capital of Israel." Morrison added, "We are waiting for the practical conditions to be met... and after reaching a final solution, we will move our embassy to Western Jerusalem." The Prime Minister also mentioned that his country would recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine once the parties in the Middle East conflict reach an agreement and a Palestinian state is established in connection with the two-state solution. At the same time, it was announced that the current Australian embassy located in Tel Aviv will remain in that city, although the country will establish a commercial and defense office in Jerusalem. Morrison stated that Australia has been an effective force in establishing the state of Israel and has close relations with it. He added that since he first raised the issue, "people have been very eager to know what we would ultimately say." Scott Morrison had previously mentioned that Canberra is weighing the option of moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This has faced protests from several Muslim-majority countries, leading Indonesia to suspend a $16 billion free trade agreement with Australia. Australian publications and media say that the government's recent decision signifies a change in Canberra's approach and policy regarding the independent states of Israel and Palestine over recent decades. The Prime Minister of Israel has called for all countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem. Benjamin Netanyahu states that this city is the "eternal and undivided capital of the Jewish people." Donald Trump, the President of the United States, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel during a historic speech on December 6, 2017, despite regional opposition. The United States opened its new embassy in Jerusalem this year in May, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy. Previous U.S. administrations emphasized the necessity of Palestinian statehood alongside Israel since the two-state solution was proposed by George Bush in 2002. Israel, which has controlled Western Jerusalem since its independence, officially annexed East Jerusalem in 1980; however, most countries have not recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The 1993 peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization stipulated that the final status of the city would be determined in advanced peace negotiations between the two sides, although the peace process has been stalled for years. The UN Secretary-General has stated that there is no alternative to the two-state solution.