JERUSALEM, Palestine
\nThe Palestinians have hailed Australia\u2019s decision to reverse its recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital despite fierce criticism by Israel.
\n\u201cWe welcome Australia\u2019s decision with regards to Jerusalem & its call for a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy,\u201d the Palestinian Authority\u2019s civil affairs minister, Hussein al Sheikh, tweeted on Tuesday.
\nSheikh hailed Australia\u2019s \u201caffirmation that the future of sovereignty over Jerusalem depends on the permanent solution based on international legitimacy\u201d.
\nAnnouncing the change of policy by Australia\u2019s centre-left government, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Jerusalem\u2019s status should be decided through peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, and not through unilateral decisions.
\n\u201cWe will not support an approach that undermines\u201d a two-state solution, she said, adding: \u201cAustralia\u2019s embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv.\u201d
\nIsraeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid described the policy reversal by Australia\u2019s centre-left government as a \u201chasty response\u201d.
\n\u201cJerusalem is the eternal and united capital of Israel and nothing will ever change that,\u201d Lapid said in a statement released by his office.
\nIn 2018 a conservative government led by Scott Morrison followed then US president Donald Trump\u2019s lead in naming West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
\nThe move caused a domestic backlash in Australia and caused friction with neighbouring Indonesia \u2013 the world\u2019s most populous Muslim-majority nation \u2013 temporarily derailing a free trade deal.
\nIsrael occupied east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move not recognised by most of the international community.
\nThe city is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, and most foreign governments avoid formally declaring it the capital of any state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
JERUSALEM, Palestine The Palestinians have hailed Australia\u2019s decision to reverse its recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital despite fierce criticism by Israel. \u201cWe welcome Australia\u2019s decision with regards to Jerusalem & its call for a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy,\u201d the Palestinian Authority\u2019s civil affairs minister, Hussein al Sheikh, tweeted on Tuesday. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-290171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n