REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia condemns Israel's unilateral decision to close and end the mandate of international civilian observer mission in Hebron, the Palestinian territory, also called Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), in West Bank, under Israeli occupation. The Indonesian government's statement was delivered in an official release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received here on Thursday.

TIPH was established in 1994 based on an agreement between Israel and Palestine and as mandated by the UN Security Council Resolution 904. Since its inception, TIPH has served as an important mechanism to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in Hebron, particularly against violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Hence, maintaining the mandate of TIPH is crucial to manage the fragile situation and prevent escalation of Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.

Responding to the current situation, the Indonesian government has called upon all parties to act in accordance with the international law and existing international agreements and refrain from taking provocative actions. The Indonesian government also emphasized that as the occupying power, Israel is obligated to protect Palestinian civilians in Hebron as well as in all Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation, as mandated by the international law.

As part of Indonesia's continued support to the Palestinian cause, Indonesia, along with Palestine and other partner countries, initiated a closed-door meeting in the UN Security Council to discuss this unilateral act by the Israeli government that is viewed as further jeopardizing the efforts toward peace and the realization of a two-state solution.

The Indonesian government also lauds the TIPH's contributing countries and members of the observer mission for their service over the past 22 years, including those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

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