Foreign Minister Retno: Indonesian Diplomacy is Not Finished Until the Palestinian People Fully Enjoy Their Independence

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Abi)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi ensured that all lines of Indonesian diplomacy would continue to move to fight for Palestinian independence until this was realized.

Scheduled to provide a statement regarding input to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to discuss the Palestinian issue next month, Foreign Minister Retno said this complements Indonesia's various diplomatic steps in supporting the Palestinian struggle.

"Twice I spoke before the UN Security Council and also the UN General Assembly. I also spoke at other international forums such as ASEAN, WHO, Human Rights Council, and the Global Refugee Forum," said Foreign Minister Retno in Jakarta, Tuesday, January 16.

"Indonesian diplomats have also voiced and mobilized support for Palestine in various forums and countries. At the same time, Indonesia has also sent and will continue to send humanitarian aid to Palestine," continued Foreign Minister Retno.

"President Jokowi also directly led the Indonesian delegation at the Joint Summit of the OIC and the Arab League. The Indonesian delegation was one of the driving forces to mobilize support for Palestine," she stressed.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno said that she, together with the Foreign Ministers' Committee (consisting of 7 OIC foreign ministers), carried out diplomacy specifically to meet with high-ranking officials, including and especially from the five Permanent Member countries of the UN Security Council, both at the level of head of government and foreign minister.

Highlighting that the death toll in Gaza has reached 23 thousand since the conflict in the Palestinian enclave broke out three months ago, Indonesia considers that the UN Security Council Resolution produced at the end of last year is not enough, emphasizing that a ceasefire is necessary and will be a game changer to resolve the Gaza issue.

"Therefore, Indonesia's diplomacy for Palestine is not yet finished. Indonesia's diplomacy must continue both from a political, economic, humanitarian, and international law perspective, until the Palestinian people can enjoy full independence," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

"It is in this context that the views and input of international law experts are needed, because international law is an important element of Indonesia's foreign policy and diplomacy," she stressed.

It is known that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an expert discussion entitled "Advisory Opinion at the International Court: Efforts to Support Palestinian Independence through Enforcement of International Law" at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jakarta.

This discussion featured panelists who were international law experts, such as Prof. Dr. Eddy Pratomo SH, MA; Prof. Hikmahanto Juwana SH, LL.M, Ph.D; Prof. Dr. Sigit Riyanto SH, LL.M and Dr. Enny Narwati SH, MH.