TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s director-general of multilateral cooperation Febrian Alphyanto, asserted in a press briefing on Thursday, May 20, 2021, that Indonesia will remain consistent in respect to the conflict between Israel and Palestine and urge a permanent ceasefire and stopping the violence.

"We want a stop in the attacks. Saving lives, that is the purpose of the UN security council. This cannot wait [any longer]," said Febrian in the Ministry's briefing on Thursday, May 20, 2021.

Febrian added that Indonesia highly urges for a permanent ceasefire as past experiences show that the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Palestine is never sustainable as new conflicts emerge in years and months following.

"The situation in Gaza has happened repeatedly," he said. "It would cool down for a moment to only arise again. This isn’t sustainable without a clear mechanism."

Febrian also mentioned the United Nation's 'responsibility to protect' that can be implemented to handle the conflict but reminded that it remains to be a concept and no consensus has been produced on how to implement it properly.

Until today, the bloody conflict between Palestine and Israel continues with an estimated 227 casualties from the Palestinian side during the Israeli attacks that had lasted for 11 days.

ISTMAN MP