SYDNEY, Dec 14, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Australia on Friday warned citizens to
take care while travelling in neighbouring Muslim-majority Indonesia, ahead
of an expected but contentious move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s
capital.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to announce — as soon as
Saturday — that his government will follow US President Donald Trump’s lead
and recognise the contested city as Israel’s capital.
Scores of Australians preparing to jet off to Bali and other tropical
island destinations for upcoming summer holidays should “exercise a high
degree of caution”, the Department of Foreign Affairs warned.
Officials in Canberra told AFP they expected the announcement to come on
Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, but cautioned that events could yet alter those
plans.
Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital. Critics
say declaring Jerusalem the capital of either inflames tensions and prejudges
the outcome of final status peace talks.
Trump’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv last May prompted
tens of thousands of Palestinians to approach the heavily-protected Israeli
border fence amid often violent demonstrations.
At least 62 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on the day of the US
embassy move.
Morrison is expected to stop short of actually shifting Australia’s
diplomatic corps to the Holy City, amid fears about the cost and security
implications.
But recognising Jerusalem would help the embattled Australian PM — who
faces the prospect of an election drubbing next year — with Jewish and
conservative Christian voters and win him friends in the White House.
His supporters argue Israel has the right to choose its own capital and
peace talks are dead in the water, so there is no peace to prejudge.
But the move still risks heightening unrest, not least in Australia’s
immediate neighbour and the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
– Jakarta protests –
Indonesia’s government, facing domestic pressure at home, had reacted
angrily earlier this year, when Morrison floated the idea of both recognising
Jerusalem and moving the Australian embassy there.
The issue has put the conclusion of a bilateral trade agreement on hold.
In the meantime, Australia’s foreign ministry has moved to prepare the
ground.
“Demonstrations have been held in recent weeks around the Australian
Embassy in Jakarta and the Australian Consulate-General in Surabaya,” it
warned in a public notice Friday.
“Protests may continue at the Embassy in Jakarta or at any of Australia’s
Consulates-General in Surabaya, Bali and Makassar,” the Department of Foreign
Affairs said.”Exercise a high degree of caution.”
Tensions are currently running high between Israel and the Palestinians.
At least 235 Palestinians and two Israelis have died during violence in
Gaza since March, mostly in border clashes.
On Thursday the Israeli army launched raids into the Palestinian city of
Ramallah after a Palestinian shot dead two Israeli soldiers at a bus stop in
the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu vowed to ‘legalise’ thousands of settlements homes considered
unlawfully-built even by Israel.
In total six people were killed in the most violent 24 hours to hit the
West Bank and Jerusalem in months.