Australia recognises West Jerusalem as Capital of Israel

Sydney, Dec 15: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that his government will recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the government will also recognise a future state of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem after a settlement has been reached on a two-state solution. The foreign policy shift was announced during Morrison's speech to the Sydney Institute on Saturday.

While the embassy move is delayed, Morrison says the government will establish a defense and trade office in Jerusalem and will also start looking for an appropriate site for the embassy.

He says in a speech Saturday: "The Australian government has decided that Australia now recognizes west Jerusalem, as the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel."