Thursday, December 13, 2018

Morrison Warned Off

"The Morrison government has been advised by key bureaucrats and retired 'wise elders' against moving its embassy to Jerusalem or making other significant changes to Australia's stance on the status of the city central to the Middle East peace process... The government departments and agencies consulted are understood to be aligned in support of Australia's existing position in having its embassy in Tel Aviv. Those include the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Defence Department and ASIO. That was also the majority view of of a small, handpicked group of former top officials or 'wise elders'... These included former Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet head Michael Thawley, former Defence Department head Dennis Richardson and former Chief of the Defence Force Sir Angus Houston." (Officials warn off embassy relocation, David Wroe, Sydney Morning Herald, 13/12/18)

"The Indonesian Muslim groups behind a one-million-strong rally in Jakarta this month have warned that any move by the Australian government to formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital - even if the embassy remains in Tel Aviv for now -  would spark mass protests and a boycott of Australian products." (Holy city as capital to spark boycotts, Amanda Hodge, The Australian, 13/12/18)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is absolutely no justifiable reason as to why the embassy should be moved from Tel Aviv. NO politically, economically or legally justifiable reason! Serious questions need to be asked by our MSM.........but as noted here on numerous occasions, that ain't going to happen any time soon!

Anonymous said...

Of course there is. Seeing that 70 years of demanding a negotiated solution hasn't worked, we need to reward ongoing settlement activity as the only rational means of achieving a two-state solution.

Grappler said...

Anonymous 2? Is this sarcasm? I hope so. Meanwhile MERC check out the current headline on the ABC News website. ScoMo is recognising West Jerusalem as capital but with no current intention to move the embassy.