Aboul-Gheit thanked the new labor government for correcting a decision taken in 2018 by the then-conservative authorities, his spokesperson Jamal Rushdie stated in a communique.

Aboul-Gheit, who is the secretary-general of the pan-Arab organization, called on the countries that previously recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or relocated their embassies to the city to adopt a similar stance just as Canberra did. He also highlighted the Australian authorities’ courage to adhere to the principles of justice and law and that the two-state solution is the only formula for reaching a just and final settlement between Palestinians and Israelis.

Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the decision on Tuesday.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump moved the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to the so-called Holy City, which sparked anger among Palestinians and the Muslim nations but was upheld by his successor Joe Biden.

Israel occupied the eastern region of Jerusalem in the 1967 war and has since refused to hand it over to the Palestinians, despite UN Security Council resolutions and the demands by most of the international community.

pgh/iff/oda/rob