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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 19 OctOber 2022

Australia drops recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

By ROD McGUIRK Senior Palestinian official
Associated Press Hussein Al-Sheikh said he
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) welcomed Australia’s de-
— Australia has reversed a cision “and its affirmation
previous government’s rec- that the future of sover-
ognition of west Jerusalem eignty over Jerusalem de-
as Israel’s capital, the for- pends on the permanent
eign minister said Tuesday, solution based on interna-
prompting consternation tional legitimacy.”
from Israel. Former conservative Prime
The center-left Labor Party Minister Scott Morrison for-
government agreed to mally recognized west Je-
again recognize Tel Aviv rusalem as Israel’s capital in
as the capital. The Cabi- December 2018, although
net also reaffirmed that the Australian Embassy re-
Jerusalem’s status must be mained in Tel Aviv.
resolved in peace nego- The change followed
tiations between Israel and then-U.S. President Donald
the Palestinians, Foreign Trump’s decision to move
Minister Penny Wong said. the U.S. Embassy from Tel
Australia remained com- Aviv to Jerusalem. Presi-
mitted to a two-party solu- dent Joe Biden has kept
tion to the conflict between the embassy in Jerusalem
Israelis and Palestinians, In this image taken from video, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a press as the U.S. steps back from
and “we will not support an conference, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, in Canberra, Australia. Associated Press its once-intense mediation
approach that undermines between the Israelis and
this prospect,” Wong said. Wong said her department Lapid appeared to blame ment of Australia behaves Palestinians, who have not
Israel’s Prime Minister Yair made an error by updating this media confusion for more seriously and profes- held substantive peace
Lapid expressed disap- its website on Australia’s re- Australia changing its poli- sionally,” Lapid said. talks in more than a de-
pointment in Australia’s vised policy on Israel’s cap- cy. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said cade.
changed position. ital before Cabinet had “In light of the way the de- it will summon the Austra- Wong described Morrison’s
“Jerusalem is the eternal confirmed the change. cision was made in Aus- lian ambassador to express move as out of step inter-
undivided capital of Israel This led to conflicting me- tralia, as a hasty response “deep disappointment” nationally and a “cynical
and nothing will change dia reports on Australia’s to a mistaken report in the over a decision that was play” to win a byelection
that,” Lapid said in a state- position before Wong’s an- media, one can only hope “based on short-sighted in a Sydney locale with a
ment. nouncement. in other issues the govern- political considerations.” large Jewish population.q

North Korea fires artillery shells near

border with S. Korea

inter-Korean agreement is about 40 to 50 kilometers nual 12-day field exercises
aimed at reducing front- (25 to 30 miles) from the to improve its operational
line animosities. border with North Korea. capabilities in response to
It’s the second time North In recent weeks, North Ko- various types of North Kore-
Korea has fired shells into rea has conducted a spate an provocations. It said an
the buffer zones since last of weapons tests in what it unspecified number of U.S.
Friday, when it shot hun- calls simulations of nuclear troops will take part in this
dreds of shells there in its strikes on South Korean and year’s drills.North Korea has
most significant direct vio- U.S. targets in response to test-launched 15 missiles
lation of the 2018 agree- their “dangerous military since it resumed testing ac-
A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch ment. South Korea’s military drills” involving a U.S. air- tivities on Sept. 25. One of
during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, said North Korea must halt craft carrier. North Korea them was an intermediate-
South Korea on Oct. 14, 2022. provocations that under- views regular military exer- range ballistic missile that
Associated Press mine peace and stability cises between Washington flew over Japan and dem-
By HYUNG-JIN KIM shells off its west coast and on the Korean Peninsula. and Seoul as an invasion onstrated a range capable
Associated Press 150 rounds off its east coast. It added that it is boosting rehearsal. of reaching the Pacific U.S.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — It said the South Korean mil- its military readiness and, in North Korea’s military said territory of Guam and be-
North Korea fired artillery itary broadcast messages coordination with the Unit- Friday’s artillery firing drills yond.
shells near its sea bound- several times asking North ed States, is closely moni- were meant to issue a Some foreign experts say
aries with South Korea late Korea to stop the firing, but toring North Korea’s moves. warning to South Korea for North Korean leader Kim
Tuesday, a day after the there were no reports of vi- The North’s artillery tests staging live-firing exercises Jong Un would eventually
South began annual mili- olence between the rivals. draw less outside attention at a border area that the aim to use his expanded
tary drills to better deal with South Korea’s military said than its missile launches. But North calls “reckless provo- weapons arsenal to pres-
North Korean provocations. the shells didn’t land in its forward-deployed long- cation.” South Korea’s mili- sure the United States and
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs South Korean territorial wa- range artillery guns pose tary said its training didn’t others to accept his coun-
of Staff said in a statement ters but fell inside maritime a serious security threat to violate the 2018 accord. try as a legitimate nuclear
early Wednesday that buffer zones the two Koreas South Korea’s populous On Monday, South Ko- state and lift economic
North Korea fired about 100 established under a 2018 metropolitan region, which rea’s military began its an- sanctions on the North.q