Indonesian Foreign Minister: We Must Relive Bandung's Spirit To Face Injustice Against Palestine

Foreign Minister Retno at the meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Non-Aligned countries must revive the spirit of Bandung and increase its influence to help Palestine.

This was said by Foreign Minister Retno while attending the Ministerial Meeting of Non-Aligned Movements (Non-Aligned Movement) in New York, United States on Monday.

"We must revive the spirit of Bandung to deal with the injustices that have occurred against Palestine, increase our multilateral influence, and focus on rebuilding Palestine," Foreign Minister Retno said in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ri, September 24.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Retno highlighted the UN's Helplessness to stop Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people over the past 11 months.

"As the largest group of countries in the United Nations, we have to ask ourselves: how can we stop all of this?" asked Foreign Minister Retno.

Foreign Minister Retno said that what was happening in Palestine was not only conflict, but an attack on the basic foundation of the multilateral system. Foreign Minister Retno also highlighted the selective application of international law and the environment of total impunity that made most of South Global countries feel frustrated.

"The geopolitical division among great powers has created a situation where human rights and international humanitarian law are ignored, and a country can act with impunity without punishment or consequences. This cannot be tolerated," he stressed.

Ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Asian Africa Conference next year, Foreign Minister Retno emphasized the importance of recalling the spirit of Bandung, the spirit of solidarity, peace and cooperation between nations for Palestine.

"This is the time for the Non-Aligned Movement to take steps in units and concrete actions," said the Foreign Minister closing his statement.

It is known that the Ministerial Meeting of Non-Aligned Movements was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, Odongo Jeje Abubakhar. The meeting was attended by officials of NAM member countries such as the Prime Minister of Palestine, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Morocco, Venezuela and Cuba.

As of Monday, Gaza's health authorities confirmed that the death toll from Israeli attacks since the latest conflict broke out on October 7, 2023 has reached 41,455 people, while injuries have reached 95,878, with the majority of victims being women and children, quoted from WAFA.