REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Chairman of Commission I in House of Representatives, Mahfudz Siddiq, said Israel was not willing to solve the problems with Palestine as Israel barred several ministers of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), including Indonesia's Marty Natalegawa, to Ramallah. Israel barred ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Cuba and Algeria from travelling to Ramallah. The ban was targeted to five countries which had no diplomatic ties with Israel.

"The act is arrogant towards the countries which commit to help the settlement of Palestine problems," Mahfudz said on Monday.

Israel is indeed having no diplomatic relationship with Indonesia, but Israel should not have barred the ministers to Ramallah. Israel should have conducted dialogue and negotiation with the ministers. As one of the initiators of NAM, he continued, Indonesia must take a firm step by conveying the problems to UN.

Violation to international laws

On Sunday, NAM Ministerial Commitee on Palestine was prevented from holding a special meeting in Ramallah, Palestine, cited in a press release from Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Israel, the occupying power, used the feeble pretext that some members of the Committee do not have relations with Israel, notwitstanding that the visit was to Ramallah in Palestina, not to Israel.

"The Committee strongly condemns this blatant action by Israel. It is a flagrant violation of the principles of international laws and of Israel's obligations as the Occupying power," its says then adds, "The Committee calls upon the NAM Coordinating Bureau in New York to consider this serious incident further and take appropriate actions".

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika