Indonesia Must Ensure UN Human Rights About Israel Committing War Crimes

Illustrations / Antara

JAKARTA - The Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) highlighted the statement of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachellette that Israel might have committed war crimes in the attack on Gaza, Palestine yesterday.

Deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid urged the Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take an active role in convincing the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UN) that war crimes had indeed occurred in Israel's brutal attack on the Palestinian Gaza area. Moreover, Indonesia is a member of the UN Human Rights Court.

"The ceasefire should not just condone war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel," Hidayat said, Friday, May 28.

HNW appreciated Pakistan's proposal as Coordinator of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which urged the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged war crimes in the eleven-day Israeli attack on Palestine.

"As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia should be able to convince the UN Human Rights Commission that what Israel did was a war crime. So it's not just a possibility anymore, as stated by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, "said the Deputy Chairperson of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Syuro Council.

According to him, the war crimes committed by Israel against Gaza are easy to see clearly. Especially with reference to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Hague Convention which obliges to provide protection to civilians in times of war.

Meanwhile, the eleven-day Israeli attack on Palestine since May 10 has claimed the lives of 232 civilians of the Gaza Strip, Palestine, and as many as 65 of them are children.

"Not only civilians. Israel also bombarded a number of media offices in the Gaza strip, and among the victims, both wounded and killed were journalists. In fact, according to the Vienna convention, journalists are one of the elements that must be protected even in times of war. "Explained Hidayat.

According to HNW, Israel's attitude has violated human rights and international conventions repeatedly. A number of human rights activists (HAM) also often criticize the existence of war crimes because Israel uses excessive force that sacrifices many civilians and even children.

He emphasized that Israel's actions this time must really be investigated and given sanctions so that human rights crimes, especially similar war crimes, do not repeat themselves as before.

"Indonesia as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, which is constitutionally defending Palestinian independence and rejecting Israeli occupation, should fully assist the UN Human Rights Council in investigating the war crimes committed by Israel against Gaza / Palestine," concluded Hidayat.

It is known, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) decided to launch an investigation into alleged war crimes in the eleven-day conflict between Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip, Palestine and Israel.

Reported by Reuters on Friday, May 28, the decision was made by voting. Of the 47 representatives of member countries who attended, 24 supported the proposed investigation submitted by Pakistan as a representative of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Palestine.

Meanwhile, nine countries rejected and 14 countries abstained. The United States as an ally of Israel only places observers on the UN Human Rights Council and does not have the right to vote.