RI rejects Bush's new Mideast policy

RI rejects Bush's new Mideast policy

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia reacted strongly on Friday to U.S. President George W.
Bush's OK for Israel to keep Palestinian territory seized in the
1967 Middle East War, saying that it could further sabotage the
already fragile Middle East peace process.

"Bush's statement is something that we reject because we can't
accept ideas which are contradictory to ... the road map for
peace, ideas which are against numerous UN resolutions on
Israel's occupation of Palestinian land," Indonesian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty A. Natalegawa told journalists in
Jakarta

Bush, a close ally of Israel, dropped a bombshell on Wednesday
when he announced after talks in Washington with Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon that it was "unrealistic" to expect Israel
to pull out from all land annexed in 1967.

In remarks that further outraged 1.3 billion Muslims worldwide
in particular and the world in general, Bush said Palestinian
refugees should not be allowed to return to land lost to Israel
in 1948, when the Jewish state was created.

His declaration was a blow to the 3.7 million Palestinian
refugees scattered throughout the Arab world, of whom fewer than
half have been granted citizenship by their host countries.

"We reject the Israeli plan that is supported by Bush. We are
concerned about its possible repercussions on the peace process
as it justifies Israel's illegal occupation," Marty said.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim majority nation and a
supporter of the Palestinian cause, has long advocated a peaceful
settlement of the Middle East imbroglio .

Marty stressed that Indonesia would continue to show strong
support for and solidarity with the Palestinian people at various
upcoming events, including the forthcoming meeting of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

"Indonesia is ready to participate in a special OIC meeting
anywhere, anytime to discuss the developments in the Middle
East," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysia announced on Friday that it would hold a
meeting of OIC foreign ministers next week to discuss increasing
violence in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

Malaysia, which chairs the 57-nation OIC, brought the meeting
forward to April 22 from its planned May 4 date at the request of
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

While reacting to Bush's decision to support Israeli
annexation of Palestinian territory, Arafat said Palestinians
would never give up their fight to establish a Palestinian state
and urged the world to oppose Bush's new Middle East policy.

"Palestinians will never give up (their) target of achieving
freedom, independence (and) national sovereignty in the
independent state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital,"
Arafat said.

Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, said in a statement sent to The
Jakarta Post through its Embassy in Jakarta that Bush's backing
for Sharon's plan would "if cemented ... complicate peace
opportunities and cripple the peace process".

"Convinced of the impact of America's attitude towards the
chances for peace in the region, Saudi Arabia hopes that it
reconsiders the situation and does the necessary to prevent a
total collapse of the peace process," it said.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reportedly requested "rapid
contacts" between Arab countries to decide on a "global vision"
of the situation following the U.S. policy U-turn on the Middle
East.

Sharon -- Page 12