Indonesia Backs Palestine’s UN Membership at NAM Summit
Kampala, The Gulf Observer: During the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Kampala, Uganda, on Saturday, Indonesia formally expressed its strong support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations. Deputy Foreign Minister Pahala Nugraha Mansury articulated Indonesia’s stance, emphasizing the significance of the Asia-Africa Conference spirit, as underscored during the 1955 Bandung Conference that laid the groundwork for NAM.
Highlighting the Bandung spirit’s call for collective efforts among developing nations for freedom, justice, equality, and development, Mansury stressed its ongoing importance. He urged NAM members to draw inspiration from this spirit in addressing global challenges, particularly in advocating for an independent Palestine and safeguarding the interests of developing nations.
Mansury, quoted in the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s press statement on Sunday, called for NAM members’ unity in pushing for a ceasefire and peace process in Gaza. Indonesia also appealed for concerted efforts towards securing full UN membership for Palestine, noting that five NAM members currently hold non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council and could voice the NAM’s collective stance on the Palestinian cause.
On the sidelines of the NAM Summit, Deputy Foreign Minister Mansury held discussions with his counterparts from Palestine and South Africa. During these meetings, he reiterated Indonesia’s unwavering support for Palestine’s struggle for independence and backed South Africa’s initiative to file a case against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The recent armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, ignited by a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, was also addressed. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties among Palestinian civilians, with over 24,000 deaths, including many women and children, due to Israeli bombardments and ground operations in Gaza.
Hosted by Uganda, which assumed NAM’s leadership for the 2024-2027 term, the Kampala Summit took place from January 15 to 20 under the theme “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.” The summit, attended by representatives from NAM’s 120 member states and observers from various countries and international organizations, yielded four agreed-upon documents. Among them is NAM’s political declaration advocating for peace in Palestine, as outlined in the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s press statement.
