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Indonesia: No Recognition of Israel Without Palestinian State
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| Wirayuda:
The needs of the Palestinians must be fulfilled to end this
conflict
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By
Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia correspondent
ALOR
SETAR, Malaysia, April 24 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – The
Indonesian Foreign Minister, Noer Hassan Wirayuda said Wednesday,
April 24, that Indonesia will never recognize the state of Israel if
the latter does not allow a free Palestinian nation to exist, news
agencies reported.
Wirayuda
stated that Indonesia will not have a diplomatic relationship with
Israel as long as there is no free and independent Palestine.
"Our stand on Palestine is clear, and this means no diplomatic
relationships with Israel before the latter country accepts the rights
of the Palestinians,” Wirayuda was quoted by Antara news agency as
saying.
The
current Indonesian government has given its full support to the UN’s
fact-finding mission to be sent to Jenin, and said it will send troops
to join the UN peace mission there.
Widespread
rallies were held in Indonesia in protests against the invasion of
Palestine and the brutalities of Israel against the Palestinians.
Indonesia
is also pressing for the complete granting of independence to
Palestine, Wirayuda said, adding that his country fully supports the
struggle of the Palestinian people.
"Saying
that the suicide bombers are ‘terrorists’ is wrong and responding
to these attacks with terror by Israel is also wrong,” Wirayuda
said.
"They
are attacking Israel because they feel the pressure and the oppression
from the Jewish state,” He added.
Wirayuda
said Indonesia, under the present regime, will never think of opening
diplomatic ties with Israel like what was being suggested under the
reign of Abdurrahman Wahid.
Wahid
came into the limelight on Tuesday, April 23, when it was revealed by
the Youth League of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim
organization in Indonesia, that the former President supported the
idea of inviting Shimon Peres to Indonesia next month.
The
youth league of the NU intends to invite Peres for a dialogue on
Palestine, saying that the idea actually came from Wahid himself.
In
Africa, the Muslim-dominated Niger announced
Sunday, April 21, it was cutting diplomatic relations with Israel, in
an official statement broadcast on the radio.
Indonesia
is currently looking for the best possible ways, in its discussions
with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), to solve the
Palestinian problem and force the Israeli occupation army to withdraw
from Palestinian lands.
Wirayuda
said a solution that suits the aspirations of the Muslim world and the
needs of the Palestinian must be found to end this conflict.
Indonesians
have burnt Israeli flags, shouted anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans
in Jakarta and other major cities ever since the launching of a
massive military operation by Israel in the West Bank on March 29.
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