REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's support for the Palestinian people's struggle for gaining their independence would never recede. Instead, Palestine remains in the heart of Indonesia's foreign policy, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said.
"President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has repeatedly stated that Palestine remains and will always be in the heart of Indonesia's foreign policy," she told participants of the 10th Pancasila Congress at the University of Gadjah Mada here on Thursday.
The Palestinian Government has actually recognized Jakarta's endless support for its people's cause. It even classifies Indonesia as a small group of countries in the world, which consistently backs up the Palestinian struggle for independence, she noted.
"The path that Palestinians pass by is perhaps long and winding. Therefore, it is common that the intention of countries to help Palestine will recede with time. However, it would not happen with Indonesia," Marsudi remarked.
Indonesia's support for the Palestinian People and State, whose motherland has been occupied by Israel for decades, is not only in the political field but also in other sectors, including economy and capacity building.
Indonesia has, for example, applied a zero tariff policy on certain Palestinian products and has offered its citizens scholarship scheme. "Several Palestinian diplomats are also trained in Indonesia," she explained.
The Indonesian Hospital in the country was also erected by the Indonesian people, marking closeness in the two nations' friendship, she revealed, adding that Indonesia has recently helped Palestine get medicine supply and seawater desalination plant.
"I personally joined a fund-raising program for building a hospital building there," she noted.
What the people of Palestine need to do among themselves is to maintain their unity in the fight for the country's independence. Widodo had also emphasized the importance of unity among the Palestinians, Marsudi elaborated.
Palestinian athletes marches in the opening ceremony of Asian Games 2018 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, Saturday (August 18).
The Indonesian head of state wanted the spirit of the 18th Asian Games, being held by Indonesia in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra Province, from Aug 18 to Sept 2, to be used for providing new energy of the Palestinian people's struggle, she stated.
On Aug 21, Widodo received a courtesy call of Palestine Olympic Committee Chairman Jibril Mahmoud Muhammad Rajoub at the Merdeka Palace. The incumbent president, commonly known as Jokowi, noted that the ongoing 18th Asian Games 2018 could provide the much needed momentum required for Palestinian unity.
"The Games provides a very good momentum that can be used to unite Palestine," Jokowi was quoted as saying by Marsudi.
In another development, Turkey's Daily Sabah reported that Israel has announced its plans to "build 650 new settler units in the occupied central West Bank". The Israeli "settlements" are internationally recognized as illegal, the Daily Sabah reported.
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