Indonesia is pushing for the Palestine crisis to be brought to a United Nations Security Council session.
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AFP/AHMAD GHARABLI
A picture taken on December 13, 2017 shows the Israeli and US flags placed on the roof of an Israeli settlement building in East Jerusalem and Jerusalem\'s Old City with the Dome of the Rock mosque in the center.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Indonesia is pushing for the Palestine crisis to be brought to a United Nations Security Council session while also urging other countries to recognize the Middle Eastern state’s sovereignty. This is in line with the communique delivered at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) special summit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday.
President Joko Widodo said the Istanbul Declaration agreed upon at the OIC special summit in Turkey would not be enough to help Palestine. “OIC must be able to ensure that the Palestine situation be discussed in the UN Security Council open debate,” the President said upon his arrival at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Thursday (14/12/2017).
Apart from diplomacy at the UN Security Council, the OIC also supports Palestine’s effort to gain recognition in a number of international organizations. The lobbying to support Palestine can begin at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
As reported by Kompas journalist Hendriyo Widi from Buenos Aires in Argentina, the Indonesian government has followed up the move by urging the World Trade Organization (WTO) to accept Palestine as a full member.
“I have asked the Indonesian Ambassador to the WTO to lobby other countries and the WTO Secretariat to accept Palestine’s membership application. Thus far, Palestine has faced obstruction in being accepted as WTO member,” Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said.
Related to this, Indonesia has decided to eliminate import duties on Palestinian dates and olive oil starting from January 2018. Currently, a five-percent import fee is imposed upon Palestinian products.
In Brussels, Belgium, it is reported that Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. “I have informed [Mogherini] that the OIC is united in condemning and rejecting [Trump’s] decision, which is illegal and violates numerous UN Security Council resolutions,” she said.
Mogherini said that the EU would not followed US President Donald Trump’s move in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “He should just talk about it elsewhere because the EU will never do that,” Mogherini said regarding Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement of hoping the EU would also recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
In Jakarta, in a discussion themed “Trump’s Blunder in Jerusalem” held by Red and White Youth (Taruna Merah Putih) organization, Middle East observer and Kompas deputy chief editor Trias Kuncahyono said interfaith and intercommunity relations in Jerusalem were good. The Procession of the Cross routinely passes through areas with Muslim, Jewish and Christian populations.
Jerusalem residents are used to observing the religious practices of three different religions in the city. “The issue is purely politics,” Trias said. Other speakers in the discussion include University of Indonesia Center of American Studies director Suzie Sudarman.
UN membership
Regarding diplomacy, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestine was gaining more confidence in requesting the UN Security Council and General Assembly to grant full membership to the country. Palestine is currently an observer state and not a full member at the UN.
Palestine will also make efforts to convince the UN Security Council to revoke the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Abbas said the US’ recognition violated UN resolutions, especially Security Council resolutions that the US had agreed upon. The resolution prohibits the move of the embassy to Jerusalem.
“However, the US has decided to move their embassy. [It is] a decision that has triggered chaos and demonstrations all over the world,” Abbas said.
He said he had also requested that the UN replace the US’ position as mediator in the Israel-Palestine peace talks. This is because Palestine has declared that it will no longer work with the Trump administration. The administration is deemed biased and pro-Israel, rendering it difficult to be accepted as a mediator in the Palestine-Israel conflict.
“As we continue our communication to reach an agreement, [Trump] slaps us hard,” Abbas said.
In response to the OIC special summit’s ruling, Netanyahu rejected the replacement of the US as mediator. Israel wishes that the US remains a mediator in Israel-Palestine peace talks. Netanyahu said that he was not impressed by the Istanbul Declaration produced in the OIC emergency summit on Thursday.
Israel closes border
Israel is increasing its pressure on Palestine by closing all border gates in Gaza. Israel said the closure was part of security measures due to increasing violence after the US’ Jerusalem statement. Israel gave no explanation on how long the border gates would be closed.
Furthermore, Israel has also increased its bombings in Palestinian territories. On early Thursday, Israeli jet fighters bombed a number of places in Gaza, all of which were claimed to be controlled by Hamas. Israel said Hamas used the places as training grounds and to keep their weaponry. The Palestinian Authority said there were 10 Israeli attacks.
