Indonesia, UN Majority Reject US Decision on Jerusalem
Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia along with the majority of United Nations member states on Thursday defied the US` policy on Jerusalem and declared President Trump`s recognition of the Holy city as Israel`s capital null and void.
In a press release receive on Friday, Indonesian Permanent Representative to the UN Dian Triansyah Djani during an Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday conveyed that all resolutions concerning the status of Holy City of Jerusalem and the rest of Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 must be respected without exception, Antara News reported.
“The unilateral decision brought nothing but keeping us away from the two-state solution and making the independence of Palestinian seems far and impossible,” Indonesian UN Ambassador Djani said on Thursday.
Indonesia was among the 128 UN member countries who backed the non-binding resolution approved at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) emergency meeting to call for the US to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital.
Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo joined the United States and Israel in voting no while 35 countries abstained.
Djani said at the General Assembly recalling and quoting paragraph 5 point b of the Security Council Resolution 478 (1980) which reads “…calls upon those state that have established diplomatic missions at Jerusalem to withdraw such missions from the Holy City”.
The Security Resolution of 1980, adopted by 14 votes to none with 1 abstention, is still valid and continued to be valid until peace is attained for the Palestinian, Djani said.
“Any attempt to change the character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem has no legal validity and considered null and void,” Djani said adding that Jerusalem is a final status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the two parties.
The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who were furious over Trump`s move. The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the full city.
US President Trump on Dec 6 formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, thereby sparking widespread condemnation across the Muslim world.
Following Trump`s declaration, Indonesian President Joko Widodo condemned the US` decision on Jerusalem.
The leader of the world`s largest Muslim-majority nation noted that the US` decision has violated several UN resolutions and could disrupt global security and stability.
In Indonesia, at least several hundred thousand people, equipped with Palestinian flags and dressed mostly in white, staged a peace rally at the National Museum Monument in Jakarta on Sunday (Dec 17) to show solidarity for Palestine and to condemn US move on Jerusalem.
US was further isolated
The United States was further isolated on Monday over President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel?s capital when it blocked a United Nations Security Council call for the declaration to be withdrawn.
The remaining 14 council members voted in favor of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically mention the United States or Trump but which expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem.”
“What we witnessed here in the Security Council is an insult. It won`t be forgotten,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said after the vote, adding that it was the first veto cast by the United States in more than six years. (T/RS5/RS1)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
