In case you missed it – a Coalition spokesperson has been forced to clarify some of Peter Dutton’s earlier comments about whether the Coalition would recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. That is in Palestine but Israel has attempted to claim it as part of its own territory for years. The Morrison government made plans to recognise the illegal claim, which was reversed by Labor in 2022. Dutton said he would go back.

As SBS reports:

Also on Wednesday, Dutton suggested he had no plans to reinstate a decision by former prime minister Scott Morrison that recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel — a move that was reversed when Labor came to power in 2022

“We don’t have any plans to change the current arrangements,” he said.

But a spokesperson for the Opposition leader clarified he meant the Coalition had no plans to change its current position, which is to recognise West Jerusalem.

The spokesperson said this was outlined in a speech by Opposition foreign affairs spokesman David Coleman in a speech to The Sydney Institute in March.

“When Labor announced its shambolic decision in 2022, the Coalition expressed its strong opposition and affirmed that our position remained that West Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” Coleman said at the time. “This continues to be our position.”