Israel’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Australian ambassador to Israel for a dressing down Tuesday afternoon, over Canberra’s decision to walk back Australia’s recognition of western Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid instructed Aliza Bin-Noun, chief of the Foreign Ministry’s political bureau, to summon Ambassador Paul Griffiths for a formal dressing down.
Bin-Noun told Griffiths that Israel was deeply disappointed by the Australian government’s decision earlier Tuesday, protesting the “surprising” decision to reverse Canberra’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
During the meeting, Bin-Noun slammed Australia’s Labor government for ignoring Israel’s “deep, ever-lasting ties between Israel and its historic capital,” a move she said was “in opposition to the good relations between Israel and Australia.”
She added that the decision would encourage radical elements in the Palestinian Authority to continue to try to escalate tensions in the region and threaten stability.
Bin-Noun went on to criticize the timing of the announcement, made as Australian Jews celebrated Simchat Torah, the last day of the Sukkot festival, “a time when the Jewish people around the world celebrate Sukkot and the special connection to Jerusalem.”
Israel will weigh its response to Australia’s decision, Bin-Noun added.