Israel’s a poll issue

Morrison says Labor must defend its stance on embassy shift

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison wants Australia’s new position on the capital of Israel to become an election issue if Labor won’t support it.

Mr Morrison confirmed on Saturday the Australian Government would recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a decision Labor has suggested it could reverse if it wins government at the 2019 election.

Mr Morrison says Labor Leader Bill Shorten needs to make the case for such a reversal before Australians vote.

“Bill Shorten would have to take (it) to the next election ... that he will reverse that decision,” he said in Canberra yesterday. “He will have to outline to the Australian community why he would want to now reverse that position and step Australia back from what should be, I think, a very strong stand of support for Israel.”

A decision on the capital came after the Government floated the idea of moving its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in October, ahead of a crucial by-election in Wentworth. It drew criticism from political rivals as a cynical ploy to buy votes in the electorate, which has a large Jewish population.

The step also drew rebukes from South East Asian trading partners, who feared the decision to wade into the political quagmire could fuel unrest.

The Government now says it won’t move its embassy until a two-state solution is reached, at which time it will also recognise East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital.

But Australia will establish a defence and trade office in Jerusalem and will start looking for an appropriate site for an embassy there.

Mr Shorten has called the shift in foreign policy a “humiliating backdown” after the Coalition’s announcement during the dying days of its Wentworth campaign.

“I regret that we’ve seen a complex debate derailed by reckless and foolish behaviour,” he said on Saturday.