Hamas Requests Help of Former Indonesian VP Jusuf Kalla in Peace Talks with Israel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Indonesian VP Jusuf Kalla has been requested to bridge peace talks between Hamas and Israel. According to a member of Jusuf Kalla's delegation, Hamis Awaludin, Hamas asked Jusuf Kalla for help in ending the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.

"The conflicting parties asked the 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla to mediate between the two parties to end the violence that has occurred in the past few months," said Hamid Awalundin in a written statement from Kuala Lumpur, on Monday, May 6, 2024.

Jusuf Kalla met with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas’ delegation led by its Political Bureau Officer and Deputy Head of International Affairs Dr. Bassem Naim. 

During the meeting, said Hamid Awaludin, Naim divulged that there was a massacre of Palestinians in Gaza with genocidal motives. “The world has condemned Israel's cruel actions, except for the United States. However, as we know, US President Joe Biden and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu are overwhelmed by their own people who are protesting the Israeli government's actions," said Hamid.

This relatively closed meeting took place in an area outside the city of Kuala Lumpur on Sunday evening, May 5, 2024. The discussion with Hamas lasted for approximately three hours. "This meeting started when one of the Hamas leaders contacted the former Minister of Law and Human Rights Hamid Awaludin to meet and discuss with Juuf Kalla at a predetermined place."

In fact, efforts to permanently end the conflict between Israel and Palestine were previously made by Jusuf Kalla and his team, around July and mid-October 2023. Talks were interrupted due to the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

DEWI RINA CAHYANI

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