JAKARTA: Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi accentuated international solidarity as a requisite to end the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and realise peace in Palestine, reported ANTARA news agency.
Marsudi urged all Muslims to be grateful for observing Ramadan in peace without fear at the “Pejambon Ifthar” fast-breaking banquet here.
‘As we gather today comfortably and safe from harm, more than 32 thousand Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and two million are displaced, deprived of their rights to live in their land,“ the minister remarked at the event which was attended by foreign ambassadors on Friday (March 22) evening.
She cited a UNICEF report stating that more than 13 thousand Palestinian children were killed in the aggression, while the remaining survivors are living in famine.
“They do not even have the energy to cry,“ she stressed.
As Ramadan is a momentum to increase tolerance and brotherhood, Marsudi said the international community should introspect its solidarity, as consensus to end the war in Gaza had yet to be achieved.
“Should we, the global community, only cry on their behalf or should we do something about this catastrophic humanitarian crisis?” the foreign minister questioned.
“For Indonesia, the latter is the only logical answer,“ Marsudi emphasised.
The minister expounded that Indonesia is committed to easing the burden of Palestinians by continuing to send urgently needed humanitarian aid and exploring ways to ensure its smooth delivery as well as tripling its contribution to UNRWA.
Marsudi also spoke of having delivered an oral statement before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to support the advisory opinion proceedings regarding Israeli actions in Palestine.
She encouraged the global community to make the most of the Ramadan momentum to realize peace in the world, especially in Palestine.
“Let us observe Ramadan as a time to catalyse our efforts to advocate for peace, for dialogue, and for a world where no child must bear the burden of conflict,“ Marsudi remarked. - ANTARA
