Strict, Indonesia Declares Israel For Occupation And Severe Violation Of International Law In Palestine

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Tegas, Indonesia Nyatakan Israel Lakukan Penjajahan dan Pelanggaran Berat Hukum Internasional di Palestina

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi denounced the violence in the Palestinian and Israeli conflicts. She called Israel's aggression against the Palestinians an occupation and a gross violation of international law.

This was conveyed in a virtual press statement, after attending the United Nations General Assembly (UN) session in New York, United States, Thursday, May 20.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Indonesia is using various international forums to continue to seek support for Palestine, ranging from the World Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Forum to the United Nations General Assembly.

"At the UN General Assembly meeting I said, every one of us must have been touched when we saw a picture of a two-month-old baby who was injured and removed from the rubble while the family lay lifeless. I reiterate, one question we must ask ourselves is, how much longer are we going to let the crime go on?" she said.

She continued, we all understand that this conflict is asymmetrical, between Israel, the occupier and oppressive state, and the occupied Palestinians, who are constantly oppressed.

"I emphasize, colonization in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the main issue. Once again I convey that the main issue is colonization. The international community owes it to the Palestinian people, which is an independence of the Palestinian people that continues to be delayed, to coexist and be equal to all of us," she said.

Foreign Minister Retno outlined Israel's continued undervaluation, occupation and aggression not only to be denounced but also a gross violation of international law that requires a joint response from all countries.

Earlier, at the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Retno urged the UN to do three things that need to be done, to stop Israeli aggression. First, a cessation of violence and military action to prevent more casualties.

"The UN General Assembly needs to urgently implement a sustainable and fully respected ceasefire. Every means must be taken to defuse the situation as soon as possible, and we support the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on this matter," she said.

To prevent a future recurrence of Israeli brutality, she continued, an international presence in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is needed to monitor and ensure the safety of Palestinians in the occupied territories. The international presence also aims to protect Al-Haram Al-Sharif's status as the holy site of three religions.

The second step that Indonesia calls for is to ensure access to humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians. The U.N. General Assembly along with other U.N. agencies need to step up efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected Palestinians.

"The U.N. General Assembly should urge Israel to open and allow access to humanitarian aid deliveries, including in Gaza, which has been under siege for more than 13 years," said the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

Third, encourage credible multilateral negotiations based on internationally agreed parameters to achieve a 'two-state solution'. The U.N. General Assembly has a moral and political obligation to ensure the peace negotiations take place.

"We must stop the systemic efforts of the occupying forces (Israel) which may not leave anything to negotiate. Do not let the Palestinian people no longer have a choice but to accept injustice throughout their lives," said the Foreign Minister.