Palestinian advisers have reportedly called on the Arab world to boycott Australia economically if Prime Minister Scott Morrison decides to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
A key adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a warning to Australia ahead of a potential embassy move in Israel before Christmas, calling for boycott measures, according to an interview with Plus61J.
Plus61J describes itself as "a new centre for Jewish Australia’s pro-Israel, pro-two states, pro-peace community."
“We’re asking the Arab world to include Australia in boycott measures,” Mr Nabil Shaath, a senior PLO official said.
Mr Shaath told Saudi Arabia to look for other meat exporters if Australia was to move the embassy.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media about the embassy move, alongside Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne. Source: AAP
“Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of live meat from Australia. Immediately after that Morrison decision, I talked to the Saudis and said that ‘you should at least tell the Australians that means we are going to look for other [suppliers]’," he said.
The government initially floated the prospect of shifting the embassy and following the lead of US President Donald Trump, during the final week of by-election campaigning in Wentworth, where more than 12 per cent of voters are Jewish.
Last year, Mr Trump recognised the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital - overturning decades of US policy in the Middle East.
"Israel is a sovereign nation with the right like every other sovereign nation to determine its own capital," the US leader said in a speech from the White House.
A possible move from Tel Aviv was condemned by Indonesia. Source: Abir Sultan
"Acknowledging this as a fact is a necessary condition for achieving peace," added the US leader, declaring: "It is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel."
