Australia reportedly set to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital

  11 December 2018    Read: 1679
Australia reportedly set to recognize Jerusalem as Israel

Australia is reportedly set to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Australian public television station SBS reported on Tuesday, The Jerusalem Post reports.

The station cited local paper The Australian, saying that the decision is to be ratified by the cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday after its approval by the country's national security committee on Monday.

The move would be officially announced on Wednesday, according to the report.

"However, the embassy won't be moved from Tel Aviv just yet," the report said. "Instead a consular office will be opened, the sources said, due to the cost of the move, pegged at $200 million."

In October, new Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was "open" to moving his country's embassy to Jerusalem. After his election in August, he was invited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Jerusalem.

The move would follow the US recognition of Jerusalem last December and subsequent embassy move in May. Guatemala followed suit and opened an embassy in Jerusalem last May. Paraguay also moved its embassy last May before returning it to Tel Aviv in September.


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