Indonesia warns Australia over possible Jerusalem move

JAKARTA: Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, on Tuesday warned Australia that moving its embassy to Jerusalem could undermine a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that his country was “open’’ to shifting recognition of Israel’s capital to Jerusalem while still being committed to a two-state solution.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said she had conveyed her country’s opposition to such a move to Australia.

“Indonesia encourages Australia and other nations to continue to support the peace process and not conduct any action that could undermine the peace process and global security,’’ she said after talks with visiting Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir declined to comment on a report by Australian broadcaster ABC that Jakarta was considering putting off a trade deal due to be signed soon with Australia on hold over Morrison’s comments.

Morrison said no decision had been made to move Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but he said arguments in favour of such a move were “persuasive’’.

He said there had been no discussion on the matter with the US, which had already moved its embassy to Jerusalem.

Indonesia had also criticised the US Embassy move and warned that it would threaten the peace process.

Hours after first floating the idea, Morrison said he would “canvass views” from regional leaders “before the government forms a particular view on this issue”.

Jerusalem is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians. Most foreign nations have avoided locating embassies there for fear of prejudging peace talks on the city’s final status — until Trump unilaterally moved the US Embassy there earlier this year.

Officials said the decision to move the Australian Embassy has been under consideration for months. But Morrison’s announcement was timed to coincide with a make-orbreak moment for his fledgling premiership.

On Saturday, voters in a key Sydney electorate will go to the polls, with Morrison’s Liberal party candidate, a former ambassador to Israel, trailing in the final stretch.

Defeat for Morrison’s candidate — in a constituency with a sizeable Jewish population — would spell the end of his government’s parliamentary majority and a bleak future for his months-old stint at the top of Australia’s rough-and-tumble political heap.