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.
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