(AseanAll) — Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people by presenting a draft resolution titled "Demand for Ceasefire in Gaza" at the UN General Assembly Emergency Session on December 12, 2024.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Arrmanatha Nasir, in his statement while presenting the draft, emphasized, "Only through a ceasefire can we protect millions of civilians in Gaza, alleviate their suffering, and take steps towards justice and peace."
For the past 14 months, Israeli military attacks and blockades have continued unabated. Currently, more than 150,000 Palestinians have become victims, with 70% of them being women and children. As many as 1.9 million people in Gaza have been forced to flee in inhumane conditions, without access to basic necessities. "Gaza is currently in a very concerning condition, even described as 'very terrible and like the apocalypse,'" said Arrmanatha Nasir.
Seeing this situation, Indonesia urges the world not to remain silent. The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs emphasized that the international community must act immediately to prevent the loss of more lives and greater destruction. To that end, the resolution proposed by Indonesia calls for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire to be achieved.
The Vice Foreign Minister reminded the members of the UN General Assembly that at the end of 2023, the General Assembly had adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire and protection for civilians in Gaza, with the support of 153 countries. However, the international community's call was not implemented. "How many lives could be saved if this call were followed; if Israel respected international law and listened to the conscience of the international community." The world must not allow this tragedy to continue without accountability," emphasized the Vice Foreign Minister.
In addition to urging a ceasefire, the UN General Assembly Emergency Session also discussed a resolution proposed by Ireland to support the sustainability and strengthening of the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the regions of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This step is becoming increasingly important after the Israeli Parliament passed a law that restricts the operations of UNRWA. If implemented, millions of Palestinian refugees are at risk of losing access to basic services, including education, health care, and humanitarian aid.
This Emergency Session was held as a result of the United States exercising its veto power against a draft resolution in the UN Security Council demanding a ceasefire in Gaza on November 20, 2024.
This Emergency Session then successfully passed two resolutions with broad support. The resolution related to the ceasefire in Gaza received 158 votes, while the UNRWA resolution garnered support from 159 countries. This full support reflects the awareness and commitment of the international community to stop the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed on various occasions that Indonesia is ready to support ceasefire efforts in Gaza, including taking a more active role if necessary. Regarding UNRWA, besides being one of the main initiators of the resolution, Indonesia also continues to show real commitment through Indonesia's financial contributions to UNRWA, which have increased by 600% since 2023, a strong testament to our ever-growing support.
Indonesia's full support for both resolutions reflect the government's genuine commitment to supporting the Palestinian people's struggle. "It is time for the world to unite to stop this violence." Let's prove that we care about justice, humanity, and a better future for the Palestinian people," concluded Arrmanatha Nasir.
