REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Dino Patti Djalal, founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), believed that United States President Donald Trump's recognition of the status of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel has restored the world's attention on Palestine.
"In recent years, the world's attention to Palestine has relatively declined due to the war against ISIS, the turmoil in Middle Eastern democracies, the migrants crisis, the US elections, and Brexit," Dino stated when contacted by Antara here on Thursday.
Even the United States, as a mediator in the conflict between Palestine and Israel, did not pay thorough attention during the final period of president Barack Obama's leadership, which Dino judged as not prioritizing the issue.
The emergence of Trump's recognition and the removal plan of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to the city (Jerusalem) also led to a flurry of criticism from the international community.
"Precisely, this could be a good moment to restore international attention to Palestine," according to Dino, the former Indonesian ambassador to the US.
World Muslim leaders on Wednesday (Dec 13) denounced Trump's decision.
In the meantime, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Extraordinary Summit of leaders of 57 Muslim-majority countries in Istanbul, stated that US move means that Washington has lost its intermediary role in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Regarding this problem, the Indonesian government has delivered six crucial points in the OIC Extraordinary Summit, one of which recognizes East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.
"The OIC must firmly reject the US unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A two-state solution is the only way out, with Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) informed the press at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, on Thursday on arrival from Istanbul.
Secondly, Jokowi noted that all countries having embassies in Tel Aviv should not follow the US decision.
Thirdly, the OIC states have been urged to gather support of other countries, which have not yet recognized Palestine, to acknowledge it.
Fourthly, the OIC countries having diplomatic relations with Israel, should take diplomatic steps in accordance with the resolutions produced by the OIC.
According to the fifth point, the OIC countries have been urged to take common steps to improve humanitarian aid, provide capacity building assistance, and enhance economic cooperation with Palestine.
The sixth point draws attention to Jokowi's statement that the OIC should be able to drive the movement at various international or multilateral forums to help Palestine.
The OIC should initiate a resolution against the US' decision on Jerusalem at the UN General Assembly.
The organization should also call for an open debate on the situation in Palestine in the UN Security Council.
In his address, Jokowi also noted that Indonesia will continue to increase its political and economic support to the struggle of the Palestinian people to gain independence.
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