Government to protect Indonesians, Indonesian Hospital in Gaza: Jokowi

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that the Indonesian government will continue to make efforts to protect Indonesian citizens, including the Indonesian Hospital, in Gaza, Palestine.

“I want to reiterate that from the beginning of the attack (in Gaza), the government has and will continue to make efforts to protect Indonesian citizens and public facilities, including the Indonesian Hospital,” he affirmed.

The president made the remarks in a press statement via live video broadcast from Washington D.C., the United States, on Sunday (November 12) local time, or Monday morning in Indonesian time.

Regarding the condition of the Indonesian Hospital, which continued to be attacked by Israel, Jokowi has emphasized the importance of respecting international humanitarian law while attending the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit and during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday (November 12).

President Jokowi noted that the summit was specifically held to discuss conditions in Palestine.

“During the summit, I honestly stated that the world seemed as if it was powerless witnessing the suffering of the Palestinian people. Thus, I invited the OIC member states to unite and be at the forefront of striving for justice for the Palestinian people,” he remarked.

He emphasized that a ceasefire should be realized immediately in Gaza, humanitarian aid should be expedited and increased, peace negotiations should begin immediately, public facilities and humanitarian activities should not be the target of attacks, and Israel should be held accountable for the atrocities that it has committed.

“Israel must be held responsible for the atrocities it has committed,” he stressed.

According to Jokowi, the resolution produced at the OIC summit contains a very strong message, which he would convey at a meeting with President of the United States, Joe Biden, on Monday.

“This is the voice of 57 countries, or about a third of the voices of countries in the world,” he remarked.

President Jokowi affirmed that he would also convey the message of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who specifically requested him to convey his message to President Biden.

“Apart from that, I also want to give full support to the Indonesian foreign affairs minister, who has been chosen as one of the foreign ministers entrusted by the OIC leaders to strive for peace in Palestine,” he remarked.