(ABC-Australia) Alex Ryvchin - The announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that Australia now recognizes that Israel's capital is located in Jerusalem was balanced, moderate and affirmed Australia's long-standing support for a negotiated end to the conflict on the basis of two states for two peoples. Even though the announcement dealt only with uncontested western Jerusalem, the reaction by the Palestinians produced a standard mix of boilerplate condemnations and Mafioso-style allusions to impending economic and physical harm. In his remarks, the Prime Minister denounced the "anti-Semitic agenda masquerading as defense of human rights"; he observed that the "ritual denunciations [of Israel]" stemming from this agenda "are getting in the way of progress [to end the conflict]"; and he declared that "Australia's national interests are well served by our productive and increasingly diverse relationship with Israel." The writer is co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
2018-12-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive