Australia’s new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is reportedly considering following in President Trump’s footsteps and moving the country’s Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Morrison said Tuesday that he is “open” to the move, The Guardian reported.

He argued that Israeli-Palestinian relations have not made progress and blamed “the orthodoxy that’s driven this debate which says issues like considering the question of the capital are taboo.”

Palestinians hope to make East Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state, and the ancient city contains holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

“We’re committed to a two-state solution, but frankly, it hasn’t been going that well,” Morrison said, according to multiple reports. “Not a lot of progress has been made. And you don’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results.”

He reportedly called the proposal “sensible” and immediately faced questions from media about whether his evangelical Christian views were influencing his decision.

“My faith and religion has nothing to do with this decision,” he said.

Morrison said Liberal party candidate, former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma, raised the issue for him, according to The Guardian.

Source: The Hill

BDST: 1131 HRS, OCT 16, 2018
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