RI to send assistance to Palestine<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz announced on Tuesday that Indonesia wil
\nsend medical and financial assistance to Palestine in the near
\nfuture following Israel's latest military onslaught.<\/p>\n
He also reiterated Indonesia's commitment to supporting the
\nrights of the Palestinian people through diplomatic action with
\nthe nations of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), and
\nthe United Nations.<\/p>\n
"The Vice President promised that the government would send
\nmedical and financial aid to Palestine in the immediate future,"
\nPresident of Ikhwanul Muslimin Indonesia organization Habib
\nHusein Alhabsyi said on Tuesday after a meeting with Hamzah.<\/p>\n
But Vice President declined to elaborate on either the total
\nvalue of assistance, or the timetable for the aid delivery,
\nsaying the matter would be discussed further with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri and Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan
\nWirayuda.<\/p>\n
According to Hamzah, the assistance would be delivered by the
\nIndonesian Red Cross (PMI).<\/p>\n
Israeli troops have entered Palestinian-controlled territory
\nand taken control of six of the eight major towns in the West
\nBank in the 12th day of what Israel called its campaign against
\nPalestinian militants on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Dozens of Palestinians were believed to have been killed in
\nthe fighting.<\/p>\n
The Israeli military offensive against the Palestinians has
\nsparked strong protests in countries throughout the Muslim world
\nincluding Indonesia, where a number of militant religious groups
\nhave begun recruiting young Indonesian volunteers to fight with
\nPalestinians.<\/p>\n
But Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Ribhi Y. Awad told
\nHamzah last week that his country needed humanitarian aid more
\nthan physical assistance.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Tuesday, chairman of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) Amien Rais urged the government to send food and
\nmedicine to Palestine and pressure other Islamic nations to
\nstrongly oppose Israel's "barbaric" acts.<\/p>\n
"We must send a message to the world that Indonesia is against
\nIsrael and completely pro-Palestine," said Amien, who is chairman
\nof the National Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>\n
"Indonesia, as the biggest Muslim country, can persuade all
\nmembers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to have a
\nsolid position regarding the barbaric acts of Israel," he said.<\/p>\n
Amien also criticized Arab nations which he said had failed to
\nact decisively to defeat Palestine.<\/p>\n
"The Arab countries are so wishy-washy in condemning Israel
\nand this is quite damaging to the interests of Palestine," Amien
\nsaid at the launch of his personal web site, www.e-amienrais.com
\nhere on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He also urged the United States to find a non-military
\nsolution to the conflict.<\/p>\n
"Israel is afraid of the U.S. and counts too much on what the
\nU.S. government wants, therefore the U.S. government must use its
\nleverage to contribute to the settlement of the conflict," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Amien, who holds a PhD in international relations, also said
\nthat the U.S. must take an "even-handed policy" and push Israel
\nto withdraw its troops from Palestinian soil.<\/p>\n
"The U.S. government cannot blindly support Israel, and to do
\notherwise will hurt the Palestinians, since this would merely
\nnurture the conflict," he said.<\/p>\n
"There should be common agreement that the military solution
\nis harmful. This will only ignite hatred between the warring
\nparties," he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesians were angry at Washington's failure to rein in
\nIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he said.<\/p>\n
"We know that Washington is always pro-Israel, but our
\nchallenge to Washington is too pitiful for Indonesia. Indonesia
\ncannot afford to stand against the U.S.," he said.<\/p>\n
Amien said that, by invading Palestinian territories, Israel
\nhad committed "state-sponsored terrorism" and a gross violation
\nof human rights.<\/p>\n
"State-sponsored terrorism by Israel is of a much bigger
\nmagnitude than the Palestinian fighting, which is not organized
\nand sporadic," he said.<\/p>\n
Amien, however, admitted that it was almost impossible for
\nIndonesia to do anything in concrete terms, such as sending young
\npeople or military troops to aid the Palestinians.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-to-send-assistance-to-palestine-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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