Australia plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel – Netanyahu

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Australia is considering recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most difficult obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel regards as its capital the entire city, including the annexed eastern sector after the 1967 Middle East war.

Last December, US President Donald Trump overturned decades of US policy by recognizing Jerusalem, enraging the Palestinians and upsetting the Arab world and its Western allies.

According to a statement issued by Netanyahu's office, the latter had spoken by telephone with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and had declared that he "was considering officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and of To install his embassy ".

No comments were immediately available at Morrison's office.

The US embassy became the only foreign embassy in Jerusalem in May. Guatemala and Paraguay followed Washington a few days later and also moved their embassies, although Paraguay sent its mission back to Tel Aviv last month. Israel closed its embassy in Asuncion in response.

Palestinians, with the support of the international community, want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state they wish to establish in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Peace talks between the parties broke down in 2014.

Netanyahu tried to persuade other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem.

Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald, citing Morrison on its website, said the issue of Jerusalem's recognition "was something that he would discuss … more with his cabinet colleagues in the coming months" .

He also said that Australia's former ambassador to Israel, Dave Sharma, had made it clear that this measure would not compromise the eventual creation of a Palestinian state, which Australia supports. .