Indonesia Reaffirms Support for Palestinian Independence
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Bambang Soesatyo, reiterated Indonesia’s unwavering commitment to supporting Palestinian independence during a meeting with former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Sunday. He highlighted the growing global support for Palestine, noting that by June 2024, 145 out of 193 UN member states had recognized Palestine as a sovereign nation.
“Increased support has also come from European countries, where 12 out of 27 European Union members have recognized the state of Palestine,” Soesatyo remarked.
The Speaker underscored Indonesia’s proactive stance in advocating for parliamentary diplomacy, particularly in encouraging Asian nations, including those in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to recognize Palestinian sovereignty. He mentioned that in July 2024, Indonesia, in collaboration with Malaysia, initiated the formation of the Southeast Asian Parliamentary Forum for Palestinian Independence, further cementing the region’s support for Palestine.
Soesatyo also highlighted Palestine’s status as a non-member observer state at the United Nations, achieved through a UN General Assembly resolution in 2012, with Indonesia as a co-sponsor. He pointed out the symbolic significance of this recognition, noting that since September 30, 2015, the Palestinian flag has officially flown at the UN Headquarters in New York, a milestone made possible by the support of the majority of UN member states, including Indonesia.
Indonesia has been active in multilateral forums, particularly within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Soesatyo mentioned Indonesia’s role in the OIC’s efforts to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has intensified since October 7, 2023. President Joko Widodo attended the Extraordinary Joint Arab League-OIC Summit in Riyadh on November 11, 2023, where resolutions were passed urging immediate humanitarian aid, investigating Israeli actions, and granting a mandate to Indonesia’s foreign minister as a special envoy to initiate the peace process.
Following the summit, special envoys, including Indonesia’s, conducted diplomatic visits to the Permanent Member States of the UN Security Council from November 20-22, 2023, engaging with high-ranking leaders of international organizations such as the UN Secretary-General, WHO Director-General, ICRC President, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On March 5, 2024, Indonesia participated in the OIC Extraordinary Foreign Ministerial Conference, successfully advocating for continued UN funding assistance for Palestinian refugees in the Near East, supporting South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and rallying international support for Palestine’s full UN membership.
Soesatyo emphasized that all Indonesians are deeply committed to seeing the conflict in Palestine resolved and to witnessing Palestine achieve full sovereignty with comprehensive development in all fields.
The meeting was also attended by the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, Zuhair Alshun, and Zayoud Faraj from the International Relations Department of the Palestinian Fatah Group.
