Indonesia to Increase Humanitarian Assistance for Palestine in 2020

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi conveyed the commitment of the Government of Indonesia to increase humanitarian assistance for Palestine in 2020.

She said it in the Extraordinary Ministerial Pledging Conference for UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) which was held virtually on Tuesday night (June 23).

Retno explained that the commitment is a manifestation of Indonesia’s concern over the suffering of the Palestinian people in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of expanding Israel’s annexation.

Indonesian humanitarian assistance is planned to be distributed directly to the Palestinian Government, and also through UNRWA and the ICRC (International Committee for Red Cross).

The Indonesian Foreign Minister reiterated Indonesia’s political support for the Palestinian struggle for full and sovereign independence. In this case, support for UNRWA means support for the struggle of Palestinian people.

Before the conference, Foreign Minister Retno had communicated directly via telephone with the new Commissioner General of UNRWA, Filippe Lazarini, expressed support for UNRWA’s revitalization efforts and underlined the importance of an accountable and efficient UNRWA organization.

UNRWA’s Extraordinary Virtual Ministerial Pledging Conference was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Ambassadors from 60 countries, as well as the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres and UNRWA Commissioner General, Filippe Lazarini.

The main objective of the Conference is to strengthen political support for the struggle of the Palestinian people and raise funds for UNRWA.

UNRWA is a UN agency that was founded 70 years ago and currently handles 5.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

UNRWA’s services include education, health facilitation, emergency assistance, micro finance, protection, development, and various other social services.

At the UN General Assembly session in December 2019, Indonesia along with 168 other UN member states supported the extension of the UNRWA mandate until 2023. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)