Arab League pans Canberra’s ‘favoritism toward Israel’

The head of the powerful Arab League condemns Australia’s “favoritism toward Israel” in recognizing some areas of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state, and says that Canberra should balance the measure by recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

“The Australian position is incomplete,” Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit says, according to a report in the Haaretz daily newspaper. “Therefore, it stirs our dismay.”

“Recognizing West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital while ignoring recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine shows glaring bias toward Israel,” Gheit says at a forum in the United Arab Emirates.

“I call on the Australian government to correct its position and recognize the State of Palestine and its capital as East Jerusalem without delay,” he continues. “Thus, we will consider its position balanced.”

The comments come the day after Australia said it was recognizing West Jerusalem — meaning the areas of the city held by Israel before June 1967 — as the capital, while maintaining support of Palestinian claims in East Jerusalem.

— Stuart Winer