Sydney/Jerusalem: Australia on Tuesday reversed a decision of the previous government to recognise west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying the status of the city should be resolved through peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia "will always be a steadfast friend of Israel" and was committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestine coexist in peace within internationally recognised borders.
The government "recommits Australia to international efforts in the responsible pursuit of progress towards a just and enduring two-state solution", she said in a statement.
Previous Prime Minister Scott Morrison had reversed decades of Middle East policy in December 2018 by saying Australia recognised west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but would not move its embassy there immediately.
The Palestinians praised Australia's turnaround.
Calling it a "correction of a mistake made by the previous government," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told Reuters that Australia should now "move to the more important step, and that is recognising the state of Palestine in light of its commitment to the two-state solution".
Wong told reporters Morrison's 2018 decision "put Australia out of step with the majority of the international community", and was met with concern by Muslim-majority neighbour Indonesia.
Wong said the decision was made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Cabinet on Tuesday.
