P.A. calls on Australia to clarify eastern Jerusalem stance

The Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Ministry summoned Australia’s envoy in the wake of an announcement that Australia will not refer to eastern Jerusalem as “occupied.”

The P.A.’s foreign minister, Riyad al-Malki, called on Australian government officials to give an “official clarification” of its position on eastern Jerusalem.

Australian Attorney General George Brandis announced late last week that Australia will no longer describe eastern Jerusalem as “occupied” or “annexed” territory.

“The description of east Jerusalem as ‘Occupied East Jerusalem’ is a term freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful,” Brandis said in a statement following a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. “It should not and will not be the practice of the Australian government to describe areas of negotiations in such judgmental language.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman thanked the Australian government for “its honesty and integrity in its treatment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”