Australia reverses recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday that the government would recognize Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital, reversing its previous policy. Australia had recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel since a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their own, and Australia has been one of only a handful of countries besides the United States, including Kosovo and Guatemala, to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Even since 2018,  the Australian embassy to Israel has remained in Tel Aviv, which Australia now once again considers the capital of the country. Wong said Jerusalem’s status must be resolved by peaceful negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Why is this happening? Wong said the decision brought Australia back into line with the views of the international community. Former U.S. President Donald Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized it as the country’s capital while he was in office. President Joe Biden has kept the embassy in Jerusalem.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report from the WORLD archives about the tensions between Israel and Palestine.