• Australia will no longer recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
• Foreign minister Penny Wong said the fate of the city should be determined through peace negotiations.
• Wong alleged that the Morrison administration was motivated by a vital by-election in a Sydney suburb with a substantial Jewish population.

Tuesday, the Australian government announced it will no longer recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing a controversial decision made by the previous conservative administration.

Foreign minister Penny Wong stated that the fate of the city should be determined through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and not unilaterally.

“We will not support an approach that undermines this prospect,” she said, adding “Australia’s embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv”.

In 2018, a conservative government led by Scott Morrison faced strong internal opposition for joining the administration of US President Donald Trump in recognizing West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

Wong stated on Tuesday, “I know this has caused conflict and distress in part of the Australian community, and today the government seeks to resolve that.”

She alleged that the Morrison administration was motivated by a vital by-election in a Sydney suburb with a substantial Jewish population.

“You know what this was? This was a cynical play, unsuccessful, to win the seat of Wentworth and a by-election.”

The 2018 decision also prompted alarm in neighboring Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, and temporarily derailed a free trade agreement.

Jerusalem is a contested territory between Israelis and Palestinians.

Most foreign nations avoid establishing embassies in the city out of concern that doing so might prejudice peace discussions regarding the city’s final status.

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