The Indonesian government has continued to make efforts to garner support from other countries regarding the Jerusalem issue.
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AFP PHOTO/ABBAS MOMANI
Palestinian protesters run from falling tear gas canisters fired on Dec. 10, 2017 by Israeli forces during clashes near an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank city of Ramallah, following the US President\'s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel\'s capital. New protests flared in the Middle East and elsewhere over US President Donald Trump\'s Dec. 6 declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, a move that has drawn global condemnation and sparked days of unrest in the Palestinian territories.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Indonesian government has continued to make efforts to garner support from African, Asian and European countries regarding the Jerusalem issue. These efforts was marked by the Sunday (10/12) departure of Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi to Amman, Jordan.
In Amman, Retno will meet Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Palestine issue and the decision that will be taken at Wednesday’s emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey.
From Amman, Retno will head to Istanbul to accompany President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the OIC emergency meeting, which is being held in response to the United States’s announcement on Palestine.
Last Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that his country recognized Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. The US government, he said, was preparing to move the US embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The announcement sparked criticism from various parts of the world. It is believed that the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel will hamper the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which has yet to decide on the status of Jerusalem.
Confirmed attendance
In addition to President Jokowi, 11 other heads of states or heads of governments have confirmed their attendance at the OIC emergency meeting. The OIC foreign ministers will meet in Istanbul to discuss the matter of Palestine.
From Istanbul, Retno will visit Brussels, Belgium, and meet with European Union foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini. The meeting is part of Indonesia’s effort to garner support from the European Union on the issue of Palestine.
Meanwhile, in Cairo, Egypt, the foreign ministers of the Arab League say the US have effectively pulled itself out of being a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by announcing its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Arab League has also asked the US to retract its statement of recognition.
In fact, they plan to ask the United Nations (UN) Security Council to condemn the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as it was a violation of international laws. The Arab League has also asked other nations to accept the sovereignty of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.
As of yesterday, demonstrations have been held in a number of cities in Asia and Europe to condemn the US’s move of recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. In Beirut, Lebanese security personnel shot tear gas to break up protestors in front of the US embassy.
In Jakarta, a demonstration comprising various groups was also held in front of the US embassy from Friday to Sunday.
Parisians
In Paris, France, the people protested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrival to the country. In 2014, the French parliament asked the government to officially recognize the sovereignty of Palestine. However, the French government has yet to implement the decision.
In Palestine, demonstrations have continued since last Wednesday. The Fatah party, which rules the Palestinian government, has asked the people to continue to stage protests wherever Israeli soldiers were. At least four Palestinians have been killed and dozens of others injured in the series of protests.
The Israeli military face protests in at least 20 locations, with protestors throwing stones in the direction of the security personnel.
