RI to send assistance to Palestine

RI to send assistance to Palestine

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Vice President Hamzah Haz announced on Tuesday that Indonesia wil
send medical and financial assistance to Palestine in the near
future following Israel's latest military onslaught.

He also reiterated Indonesia's commitment to supporting the
rights of the Palestinian people through diplomatic action with
the nations of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), and
the United Nations.

"The Vice President promised that the government would send
medical and financial aid to Palestine in the immediate future,"
President of Ikhwanul Muslimin Indonesia organization Habib
Husein Alhabsyi said on Tuesday after a meeting with Hamzah.

But Vice President declined to elaborate on either the total
value of assistance, or the timetable for the aid delivery,
saying the matter would be discussed further with President
Megawati Soekarnoputri and Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan
Wirayuda.

According to Hamzah, the assistance would be delivered by the
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).

Israeli troops have entered Palestinian-controlled territory
and taken control of six of the eight major towns in the West
Bank in the 12th day of what Israel called its campaign against
Palestinian militants on Tuesday.

Dozens of Palestinians were believed to have been killed in
the fighting.

The Israeli military offensive against the Palestinians has
sparked strong protests in countries throughout the Muslim world
including Indonesia, where a number of militant religious groups
have begun recruiting young Indonesian volunteers to fight with
Palestinians.

But Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Ribhi Y. Awad told
Hamzah last week that his country needed humanitarian aid more
than physical assistance.

Earlier on Tuesday, chairman of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais urged the government to send food and
medicine to Palestine and pressure other Islamic nations to
strongly oppose Israel's "barbaric" acts.

"We must send a message to the world that Indonesia is against
Israel and completely pro-Palestine," said Amien, who is chairman
of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

"Indonesia, as the biggest Muslim country, can persuade all
members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to have a
solid position regarding the barbaric acts of Israel," he said.

Amien also criticized Arab nations which he said had failed to
act decisively to defeat Palestine.

"The Arab countries are so wishy-washy in condemning Israel
and this is quite damaging to the interests of Palestine," Amien
said at the launch of his personal web site, www.e-amienrais.com
here on Tuesday.

He also urged the United States to find a non-military
solution to the conflict.

"Israel is afraid of the U.S. and counts too much on what the
U.S. government wants, therefore the U.S. government must use its
leverage to contribute to the settlement of the conflict," he
said.

Amien, who holds a PhD in international relations, also said
that the U.S. must take an "even-handed policy" and push Israel
to withdraw its troops from Palestinian soil.

"The U.S. government cannot blindly support Israel, and to do
otherwise will hurt the Palestinians, since this would merely
nurture the conflict," he said.

"There should be common agreement that the military solution
is harmful. This will only ignite hatred between the warring
parties," he said.

Indonesians were angry at Washington's failure to rein in
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he said.

"We know that Washington is always pro-Israel, but our
challenge to Washington is too pitiful for Indonesia. Indonesia
cannot afford to stand against the U.S.," he said.

Amien said that, by invading Palestinian territories, Israel
had committed "state-sponsored terrorism" and a gross violation
of human rights.

"State-sponsored terrorism by Israel is of a much bigger
magnitude than the Palestinian fighting, which is not organized
and sporadic," he said.

Amien, however, admitted that it was almost impossible for
Indonesia to do anything in concrete terms, such as sending young
people or military troops to aid the Palestinians.