By AAP
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is contemplating shifting Australia’s Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
REACTION TO SCOTT MORRISON’S MIDDLE EAST FOREIGN POLICY IDEAS
“We’re committed to a two-state solution, but frankly, it hasn’t been going that well, not a lot of progress has been made, and you don’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results.”
– Prime Minister Scott Morrison
“I spoke today with Australian PM Scott Morrison. He informed me that he is considering officially recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel & moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem. I’m very thankful to him for this.”
– Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
“This is an irresponsible policy that compromises the future of millions of people in the Middle East for a handful of votes in Wentworth.”
– Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president George Browning
“We thank the prime minister on behalf of the community we represent for his moral clarity on these issues.”
– Executive Council of Australian Jewry
“He is just posturing ahead of a by-election that he is desperate to win in order to hold on to a slim majority. This is a bloke who is prepared to do and say anything to hold on to his parliamentary majority.”
– Labor foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong
“Israel is the only free and democratic nation in the Middle East and I am pleased that the Australian government is strongly considering recognising its sovereignty and self-determination by moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem.”
– Liberal senator Eric Abetz
“This movement of the embassy threatens to completely derail any kind of peace process.”
– Labor MP Anne Aly