JAKARTA, Indonesia: Countries around the globe should continue to put tenacious efforts to end the conflict that rages between Hamas and Israeli occupation forces in Palestine's Gaza Strip, said Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi.
Marsudi made the statement during the Ministerial high-level event on human rights situation in Palestine that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday (Dec 12). Her remark was made in response to the United Nations Security Council's failure to adopt a resolution that calls for a ceasefire.
"I affirm that we must not give up. We must continue our efforts to fight for peace and push for a ceasefire," she stated during an online press conference from Geneva today (December 13).
Apart from pressing for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the minister also invited the world to take a firm stance against the double standards demonstrated by western countries in relation to the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Marsudi observed that some western countries that have been backing Israel tend to voice for human rights protection unequivocally, but simultaneously, they are looking away from the blatant violations of human rights committed by Israel in the besieged Gaza Strip.
"Indonesia rejects the inconsistencies in the implementation of human rights," she stressed.
The minister then emphasised that Israel's gross violations of human rights in the pretext of self-defence cannot be justified.
"Hence, we must condemn its (Israel's) acts in the strongest terms possible," she affirmed.
She further noted that Indonesia had conveyed its support for the implementation of accountability mechanisms, including one being run by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry established by the United Nations Human Rights Council, to document violations and gather relevant evidence.
"I have also pushed relevant parties to provide full access for the independent commission, so it can carry out its mandate as expected," she noted.
Marsudi affirmed that Indonesia will also participate in the proceeding of the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on the Palestinian issue.
"This serves as proof of our concrete commitment. Indonesia will make the most of this opportunity," she stated.
Foreign affairs ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia, Palestine, and Bahrain, as well as deputy foreign affairs minister of Turkey also joined the Ministerial High-level Event on the human rights situation in Palestine. — Bernama