TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) arrived in Jakarta on Sunday, November 19, 2023, after wrapping up his participation in the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit (OIC Summit) in Saudi Arabia and the 30th APEC Summit in the United States of America.

The presidential aircraft he boarded for about 21-hour flight from San Francisco landed at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten Province, at 03:10 a.m. local time.

The aircraft made a two-hour stop at Japan's Haneda International Airport on Saturday evening for refueling before heading to the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, according to a press statement that ANTARA received on Sunday.

When arriving at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, President Jokowi was greeted by State Secretary Pratikno, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and Acting Banten Governor Al Muktabar.

In his participation in the OIC extraordinary summit in Saudi Arabia on November 11, Jokowi called on all member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to remain united and stood at the forefront of seeking solution to the Gaza crisis.

At the extraordinary summit, the OIC and Arab League had assigned the foreign ministers of Indonesia and seven other member countries to initiate immediate international action to formulate an international move to halt the war in Gaza.

On behalf of all member countries of the OIC and Arab League, the foreign ministries of those countries were also assigned to pressure for a real and serious political process to achieve permanent and comprehensive peace in accordance with established international references.

In addition to Indonesia, the member states whose foreign ministers were also assigned included Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, Nigeria, and Palestine, as well as any other interested countries.

The resolution that the OIC and Arab League's member countries adopted during the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit which was concluded in Riyadh on November 11 also assigned Secretary-General of both organisations to join the foreign ministers.

The resolution also called upon member states of the OIC and Arab League to exert diplomatic, political, and legal pressures, and take any deterrent actions to halt the crimes committed by the colonial occupation authorities against humanity.

After attending the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, President Jokowi continued his official trip to America to meet US President Joe Biden on November 13 before joining the 30th Asia Pacific Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco.

At his meeting with President Biden, President Jokowi urged the White House to show its global leadership; stand at the forefront of defending justice and humanity for Palestinians; and seek solution to peace and independence for Palestine based on two-state solution.

President Jokowi reiterated his message of justice and humanity for the People of Palestine when speaking at the 30th APEC Summit on November 17.

He called on the APEC leaders to end the Palestinian-Israeli War, voice ceasefire, and ensure an uninterrupted aid delivery in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Fresh armed conflict erupted between Palestine and Israel following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel early in the morning on October 7.

Prior to the assault by Palestinian liberation fighters, Israel had continued its closure of Gaza crossings.

Palestine's news agency WAFA reported on September 25 that the Israeli closure of Gaza crossings had worsened the living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza.

According to WAFA, the Palestinians had already suffered from the severe impacts of "more than 17 years of tight Israeli land, sea, and air blockades."

Al Jazeera quoted Hamas, which governs Gaza, as stating that its assault on Israel was "a response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence."

In response to the unprecedented surprise attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas and, according to Al Jazeera, pledged that Israeli forces would "turn all Hamas hideouts into rubble."

The ongoing Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million people, has resulted in the deaths of more than eleven thousand Palestinian civilians, and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

ANTARA

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