Jokowi and Abbas Discuss Palestinian Issues

Jakarta, MINA – President Joko Widodo held a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.

They discussed the development of the Palestinian issue, including regarding Israel’s plan to annex a portion of the West Bank.

At the beginning of the conversation, Jokowi and Abbas exchanged wishes for Eid al-Adha. After that, Abbas gave a brief explanation of the latest developments in the Palestinian territories.

Abbas also told Jokowi about the efforts made by Palestinian leaders to prevent the implementation of the West Bank annexation by Israel.

Abbas said such a move could destroy all opportunities for just and lasting peace based on a resolution of international legitimacy.

“President Abbas expressed his gratitude for the Palestinian people and their leadership of Indonesia’s position in international forums in supporting the Palestinian struggle and the right of the Palestinian people to freedom and independence,” the Palestinian news agency, WAFA, said in its report.

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On that occasion, Jokowi reiterated Indonesia’s unwavering position in supporting the Palestinian struggle.

Indonesia, said Jokowi, will reject all unilateral actions aimed at annexing Palestinian land. Because, it is contrary to international law and the resolution of international legitimacy.

“The Indonesian president welcomed the dialogue between the Palestinian factions to unite the Palestinian position on the issue of annexation that leads to the full unification of Palestine,” WAFA said in its report.

In addition to developing issues in the region, Jokowi and Abbas also discussed the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abbas appreciates the support and assistance provided by Indonesia to the Palestinian Government and the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) to fight the coronavirus.

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Jokowi also praised the extraordinary efforts made by Palestinians to deal with the spread of Covid-19. He stressed Indonesia is also working hard to control the plague.

“The Indonesian president announced that he had instructed his government to provide urgent medical assistance to the Palestinians to deal with the corona virus,” WAFA wrote.

Indonesia also from the outset believed that Israel’s plan to annex the West Bank would bring a setback from the resolution of the Palestinian issue.

“The (unilateral) Israeli action will damage the various parameters and international agreements that have been agreed in various UN resolutions (United Nations),” said Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi in an international webinar organized by the MUI on Thursday.

The Foreign Minister claimed to still remember when Israel announced plans to annex the West Bank, Indonesia was among the first countries to expressly express their rejection of the plan.

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Then immediately wrote to more than 40 key foreign ministers of the country. Namely to member countries of the UN Security Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, the UN Secretary General, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Chair of the G77 Group, the President of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Secretary General of the Arab League

“The contents of my letter invite all the international community to reject the annexation plan (Israel over the West Bank) which is illegal and contrary to international law,” she said.

The Foreign Minister said that almost all countries responded positively to the invitation in the letter. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)