VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has warned the UN Security Council, during its open debate in New York on Tuesday, Jan 22, that Israel`s illegal settlements on the occupied land of Palestine should immediately be ended.  She also emphasized that Palestine possesses both natural and legal rights to become the United Nations` permanent member.

The efforts of Palestine and the international community to meet the rights would not be weakened by the turbulent road towards its independence and UN membership, she was quoted as saying in the Foreign Ministry`s statement that on a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Marsudi stated that her participation in the UN Security Council`s open debate on the situation in the Middle East was aimed at showing Indonesia`s ongoing support for Palestine`s unfinished struggle for its independence. In this regard, the Palestinian issue must be given full attention by the UN Security Council, and a success in resolving the issue would determine the UN Security Council`s credibility and the international community`s trust on it, she noted.  In her remarks at the open debate, the Indonesian foreign minister highlighted three main points to win the international community`s attention in an endeavor to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.

First, she emphasized that all parties should meet international law and all related UN Resolutions, and prevent themselves from taking provocative measures. The Indonesian Government also underlined the importance of an immediate end to violent acts and violations of international law. Hence, Israel`s illegal settlements on the occupied land of Palestine should immediately be ended.

"The illegal settlements are morally and legally wrong, and so they must be stopped immediately," she remarked.

The second point is related to the importance of legitimacy for the peace process of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict resolution. The peace process needs to meet an international parameter that has been approved and supported by multilateral mechanism. For Indonesia, the Two-State Solution is the only way to keep the Palestinian-Israeli peace process alive and progressive. Therefore, Indonesia is concerned with the endeavors to exit from the Two-State Solution principle, she added.

The third point that the Indonesia Government pays serious attention to is the Palestinian people`s prolonged humanitarian crisis, particularly in Gaza, as a result of Israel`s 11-year-long blockade. The blockade must immediately be ended. Indonesia highly appreciates the UN member countries, which have backed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to cope with its financial deficit.

"Indonesia itself has increased its contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)," Marsudi revealed.

In her closing remarks at the open debate, which she firstly attended since Indonesia has officially been seated as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on Jan 1, 2019, she encouraged all parties to restrain from all acts of violence.(ant)