TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Commission I of the House of Representatives has decided to respond to Israel's ban towards Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi's visit to Ramallah, Palestine. Minister Retno visited Ramallah on Sunday, March 13, 2016 to inaugurate the first-ever Indonesian Honorary Consul to Palestine Maha Abu-Shusheh.
"Don't back down, the struggle for Palestinian independence must not [stop] because it is mandated by the [1945 Constitution]," said TB Hasanuddin, a member of Commission I from the National Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) fraction on Monday, March 14, 2016.
Hasnuddin said that the ban is part of the risks that must be faced by Indonesia.. "Don't worry, don't be afraid, there is no other way," Hasanuddin said.
Hasanuddin also applauded the government’s decision to boycott Israeli products as a form to support Palestine. "Maybe [the ban] was to oppose our stance," Hasanuddin said.
Israeli media Ynetnews.com reported that the ban was imposed because Minister Retno refused to meet Israeli officials in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the inauguration of the Honorary Consul was done to fulfill Indonesia’s promise to restore relationship with the Palestinian authority and to show support towards Palestine’s independence efforts.
GHOIDA RAHMAH
