Reminding Not to Take Parts, Foreign Minister Retno Questions UN Security Council: When will the Security Council Stop the War in Gaza?

Foreign Minister Retno at the UN DK meeting discussed the crisis in Gaza. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Indonesia urges the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to immediately act to stop the escalation in the Gaza Strip, strongly condemning Israel's continued aggression against civilians in the region.

In the UN Security Council's High-Level Open Debate on the situation in the Middle East which was held in New York, United States Tuesday local time, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that every second wasted without real action from the UN Security Council, had a dire impact on the Palestinian people in Gaza.

"I want to remind you that DK has a big responsibility to maintain peace and security, not to allow the war to drag on or help one party continue the war," said Foreign Minister Retno, in a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday, October 25.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno also said that the DK must not remain silent watching the disasters and crimes against humanity that are happening in Palestine.

She said that attacks on hospitals and places of worship, blockades of electricity, water and fuel and the expulsion of Gazans were carried out by Israel in the name of collective punishment. At the same time, civilians are being held hostage and facing threats to their lives.

"I want to ask how the DK will carry out its responsibilities? When will the DK stop the war in Gaza, realize a ceasefire, open access to humanitarian aid, call for the release of civilians, and stop the illegal occupation by Israel?" said Foreign Minister Retno.

She added that every second wasted due to political differences and failure to reach consensus is a defeat for humanity and exacerbates instability.

"How many more lives must be sacrificed before DK takes action?" asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The UN Security Council is known to have held two votes on draft resolutions related to the conflict in Gaza last week. In Monday's vote, a Russian resolution calling for an immediate, not lengthy and comprehensive ceasefire, as well as stopping attacks on civilians, failed because it was only supported by China, the United Arab Emirates, Gabon and Mozambique. Meanwhile the United States, Britain, France and Japan refused. Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, Switzerland and Ecuador abstained.

In Wednesday's vote, Brazil's proposed resolution calling for a humanitarian pause to provide aid to millions of people in Gaza failed after being vetoed by the United States. In fact, the draft resolution has received the support of the majority of UNSC members (Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland and the UAE). Russia and Britain abstained.

It is known that the voting mechanism for UNSC resolutions requires a minimum of nine votes in favor, from a total of 15 members of the council, without a veto from any of the permanent members of the council, namely the United States, China, Britain, France and Russia. This month, Brazil served as President of the UNSC.