By Helen Applebaum
SAN DIEGO — Australia has a history with the Jews. At the failed 1938 Evian Conference, convened to rescue the Jews from Hitler, the Australian delegate said: “It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have no real racial problems, we are not desirous of importing them.” That shameful statement of the world’s cruel indifference to the Jews is on display at the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem.
Now Australia has added another shameful stain to its history. Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister, instead of announcing the embassy’s move to Jerusalem, as expected, has just rescinded it until after a peace deal, and, then, only to West Jerusalem; he also promised a Palestinian embassy in East Jerusalem.
When the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem a few months ago, there was a threat of violence, but no discernible difference in the usual Arab violence occurred. When Morrison announced he was considering the move, Australia’s trade partners, Indonesia and Maylasia, neither of whom recognize Israel, made threats. Instead of standing up to them, he gave in. Now, even with the watered down statement, they are threatening to drop Australian exports.
For two thousand years, Jews have fought for Jerusalem. Now Scott Morrison, with his self-serving pronouncement, would give away half of Jerusalem because Australia wants to trade with Muslims. Shame on you Scott Morrison, and shame on Australia!
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Applebaum is a former adjunct professor of writing from New York. Her articles can be found on the Jewish Women Who Write website.