Who will control Jerusalem?
Australia says it will not recognize West Jerusalem as Israel's capital. As previously announced after gaining power, the current government withdrew from the 2018 decision taken by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government. Canberra says who will have control of Jerusalem should be resolved through peace talks between Israel and Palestine. Palestine thanked Australia for such a declaration.
Israel and Palestine have long been at loggerheads over control of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is also a major obstacle in reaching a peace agreement between them. There is also disagreement over making West Jerusalem the capital of Israel. In 2018, former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the recognition of the region as Israel's capital. At that time, the opposition Labor Party criticized the decision. At the same time, they announced to change this decision when they came to power. The Labor Party came to power last May. And the Anthony Albanese government changed Morrison's decision after taking office. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that Canberra will not recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Reiterating the position of the government, the foreign minister said that the Australian embassy will remain in Tel Aviv. He believes that who will have control of Jerusalem should be resolved through peace talks between Israel and Palestine. Pointing out that Australia is committed to solving the problem between Israel and Palestine, Penny Wong said that Australia will not take any action that causes problems between the two states.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian protested with a flag at Trump's rally in Putrajaya, Malaysia in 2017, during the announcement of the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel during the administration of former US President Donald Trump. Later he was kidnapped. It has been reported in Malaysian media that Israel's intelligence agency Mossad is behind this incident.
What history says
The land that Israel occupies was under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years (1517 to 1917). That is, was under the Muslims. It was then occupied by the British after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey in World War I. It was named Mandatory Palestine. In 1917, British Foreign Minister Arthur James Balfour announced the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. Jews did not have their own territory from the seventh century. They fled to different places. Eventually they migrated to Europe. Then the Jews came and settled in Palestine.
When independent Turkey was born in 1923, Jews in the region became eager to establish a state. Jews in various European countries were urged to settle in Israel. About two and a half million Jews immigrated to Israel before the start of World War II.
In 1921, the Jews formed an army called 'Haganah'. These forces continued to support the Zionists against the Muslims. This paramilitary force formed Israel's main military force after the forcible occupation of the Palestinian territories. After World War II, more Jews came to Israel from Europe. Many of them received combat training in the Haganah and other forces.
In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to partition the Palestinian territory. The United Nations passed a resolution to partition Palestine. According to the decision, 45 percent of the land was left to the Palestinians and the remaining 55 percent to the Zionists. Thus, on May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence. David Bengurian was the first prime minister of Israel at that time. He is called the Jewish 'Father of the State'. Two days later, the former Soviet Union recognized Israel as the first independent state.
