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Pro-Palestinian rally in Jakarta |
By
Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA,
April 11 (IslamOnline) - Indonesia’s former president Abdurrahman
"Gus Dur" Wahid said on Thursday that the largest Islamic
nation on earth was not in the position to help Palestinians fight the
Israelis, news sources said.
However,
the economically weak nation has decided to offer monetary assistance to
the Palestinian people, Jusuf Kalla Minister for Coordination and for
the Development said.
While
citing instability at home, Wahid said the raging conflicts in the
Middle East should be blamed on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in
controlling Palestine's resistance groups.
Wahid
stated to that effect responding to an inquiry by journalists in the
Australian city of Melbourne, Antara reported.
He
also lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the brutality
of Israeli troops in West Bank cities where hundreds of people have been
killed and thousands abducted.
Abdurrahman
said that both Arafat and Sharon should resign as a step toward peace.
"It
will be impossible for the two to develop mutual trust, the prerequisite
for peace," he said.
On
the other hand, Kalla said the financial help granted to the Palestinian
people is destined for the acquisition of medical supplies.
It
is the Indonesian Red Crescent that will be responsible to deliver the
medication and other supplies, Kalla added, saying furthermore that the
aid was just symbolical.
Indonesian
students and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) as well as
pro-Islamic political parties have rallied in the streets of Jakarta for
the past one week to protest against Israeli aggression against the
Palestinians.
They
protested in front of the US Embassy, burned Israeli flags and enlisted
themselves for a “Jihad” or holy war against the Jews.
However,
none of them are believed to have made it to Palestine as the situation
there would not allow them to penetrate the occupied territories,
IslamOnline was told.
Indonesia
is also ready to send troops to assist the UN if the latter decide to
engage its blue berets in the conflict, sources in Jakarta said.
Malaysia, Indonesia’s Muslim neighbor has also said it will send
troops to Palestine to restore order.
