Indonesia Regrets Conference On Implementation Of Geneva Convention Regarding Palestine Failed To Hold

Israeli military operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Indonesia regrets that the 'High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the Fourth Generation' Conference cannot be carried out and fulfills its mandate.

The 2025 HCP Conference is mandated by the 2024 United Nations General Assembly (SMU) to discuss the necessary steps to implement the Geneva Convention in the Palestinian Population Area, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with Article 1 of the 4th Geneva Convention.

Indonesia and OIC countries rejected the conference with an unbalanced process, for failing to highlight Israel's failure to carry out its obligations based on the Geneva Convention and its illegal occupation, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, Saturday, March 8.

Indonesia will continue to be consistent in its position so far to fight for the rights of the Palestinian people and encourage Israeli compliance with international law, especially International Humanitarian Law, the ministry added.

Earlier, Switzerland canceled a conference on the implementation of the Geneva Convention in occupied Palestinian territories due to a lack of participants, the country's foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday, after several countries expressed dissatisfaction.

Initially, Switzerland had invited 196 parties to the convention to participate in a March 7 conference in Geneva on the situation of civilians living in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, but later told them the meeting had been canceled, four diplomatic sources told Reuters.

"With no consensus among the participants, Switzerland decided not to hold a convention," Nicolas Bideau wrote on social media X.

La conférence sur la mise en œuvre de la 4e Convention de Genève dans le Territoire palestinien occupé, mandatée par l’#AGNU, n’aura pas lieu.

Faute de consensus entre les Hautes Parties contractantes, la 🇨🇭, en tant qu’État dépositaire, a décidé de ne pas la convoquer.

— Nicolas Bideau (@Chef_Komm_Eda) March 6, 2025

La conference sur la mise en ieuvre de la 4e Convention de Genève dans le Territoire palesternient occup\'e, mandated bar l#AGNU, naura pas lieu.

Faute de consensus entre les Hautes Parties contractantes, la ukuran saya, en tant qu qu ugatat d\'epositaire, a d\'ecid\'e de ne pas la convoquer.

Originally, the conference was set to discuss the Fourth Geneva Convention, part of a series of international treaties agreed in 1949 after the Second World War, which defines humanitarian protection for civilians living in areas of armed conflict or occupation.

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Ibrahim Khraishi said previously his delegation had no plans to attend the event, criticizing the draft declaration circulated among participants.

"We want the international community to take concrete action and this does not meet expectations," he told Reuters, saying the measure could include economic or diplomatic measures against Israel.

"What we want is for the Geneva Convention to be implemented," he said.

Separately, a member of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said the group also planned not to attend the event, saying the document "does not reflect the seriousness of the situation".

Israel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel also criticized the Swiss conference, calling it "part of a legal war against Israel".

Britain feels, along with many other countries, unable to fully support the proposed declaration as a prerequisite for attending the conference, according to a statement from its diplomatic mission.

Diplomats from other Western countries supporting Israel also personally expressed concern about the meeting, although at least some European countries plan to attend.

Separately, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard in his post on X wrote, highlighting the draft declaration prepared, he said countries failed to fulfill their mandate to focus on enforcing the Geneva Convention in the occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

"This is another blow to international law and betrayal of victims of unlawful killings and other serious violations of international humanitarian law at OPT and in Israel," he tweeted.

"By failing to enforce their legal obligations to ensure respect for the Fourth Geneva Convention, countries have put political interests above legal obligations to protect civilians during wartime, even in the face of Israel's relentless gross violations of Conventions and other serious violations of international humanitarian law throughout the colonized region and genocide in Gaza," he added.

Switzerland cancelled a conference by the High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the Geneva Conventions, requested by a 2024 UN General Assembly resolution, on the implementation of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The reason: disagreement between…

— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) March 7, 2025

Switzerland canceled a conference by the High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the Geneva Conventions, requested by a 2024 UN General Assembly resolution, on the implementation of the Fourth Generation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The reason: peace between...