Indonesia Supports UN Resolution on Palestinian Civilian Protection

Indonesian Ambassador to the UN Dian Triansyah Djani leads Indonesian Delegation on General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, USA, on Wednesday (13/6) local time. (Photo by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on the protection of Palestinian civilians through voting on Wednesday (13/6). The Indonesian delegation became one of leading delegates in supporting and co-sponsoring the resolution.

The resolution entitled “Protection of Palestinian Civilians” was passed with 120 “yes” votes, 8 “no” votes and 45 abstentions.

The resolution serves as a proof of international political alignment and support to Palestinian civilians who have been subject to human rights abuses by Israel.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi and her staffs in Jakarta continue to intensively communicate all night long with Indonesian Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York to ensure Indonesia’s support for the Palestine.

“I have instructed the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia in New York to cooperate with Turkish and Algerian Delegations so that this resolution can be passed with high support,” said the Minister.

Originally proposed by Kuwait, this resolution previously failed to escape the veto of the US Delegation. At the initiative of Indonesia and a number of other UN members, similar resolutions were re-proposed by Turkey as Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Algeria as Chairman of the Arab League through the emergency special session of the UN General Assembly.

The resolution calls upon the Secretary-General of the United Nations to assess the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and make a report as well as recommendations to stop the violence and submit it to the General Assembly within 60 days.

The resolution also raised the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip due to blockade by Israeli military. The international community, in particular, is requested to give attention and assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as a UN agency that during this time has been providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees and citizens.

Indonesia’s consistent support in every initiative and resolution related to the Palestine demonstrates Indonesia’s strong commitment to Palestinian people especially in dealing with the Israeli Government’s impunity as well as arbitrariness that go against the Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians, human rights law and international humanitarian law. (Dit Infomed Kemlu/ES) (GWH/MMB/Naster)