27 Nov 2020; MEMO: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reaffirmed her country`s firm support for Palestinian independence.
During a phone call with her Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Maliki, Marsudi inquired about the dialogue between Hamas and Fatah and its preparation for the elections to end internal division, as announced by President Mahmoud Abbas in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.
In September, delegations from both movements met in Istanbul and agreed on laying down a vision for a comprehensive national dialogue in partnership with all Palestinian factions.
However, last Tuesday, the PA and Fatah declared the resumption of security cooperation with Israel, a measure strongly criticised by all Palestinian factions and described as a "stab in the back of the potential partnership".
The foreign ministers also discussed the results of the US elections and its impact on the Palestinian cause, with Marsudi saying President-elect Joe Biden taking office in the White House should spell better prospects for the Israel-Palestine peace process.
She went on to invite Al-Maliki to Indonesia, confirming her willingness to cooperate with the State of Palestine at the United Nations (UN) and other regional and international forums.
Indonesia, a majority Muslim country, is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and presents one of its main goals on the council as dealing with the Palestinian question. It has had no formal relations with the occupation state of Israel since it was formed on Palestinian land in 1948. In support of Palestine, Jakarta issued a tax exemption on Palestinian imports.
In turn, Israel has taken soft measures against Indonesia such as banning tourists from the country but has made overtures towards it in recent years in order to influence the process of normalisation.
