ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Diplomatic efforts continue to be built to end the crisis in Gaza, Palestine.
A number of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), including Indonesia, asked for French support to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
This request was conveyed by the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Nigeria and the Secretary General of the Arab League in a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron which was followed by a meeting with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in Paris on Wednesday, November 22 2023.
“The OIC foreign ministers hope that France will use its influence on other countries not to apply double standards to the Palestinian case,” said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in an online press statement on Thursday, Jakarta time.
The application of double standards needs to be avoided because international law and international humanitarian law must be respected by all countries in the world, including when responding to the current situation in Gaza where tens of thousands of citizens have died as a result of indiscriminate attacks launched by Israel targeting civilian residents and facilities.
Retno revealed that in a long and very open meeting with President Macron, the OIC foreign ministers again emphasized the importance of a ceasefire and providing unimpeded humanitarian assistance to residents affected by the conflict in Gaza.
“The OIC foreign ministers welcomed President Macron’s statement that ‘there is no double standard’ for France,” said Retno.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with the French Foreign Minister, the OIC foreign ministers discussed the importance of a stronger and more comprehensive UN Security Council resolution, especially regarding the issue of humanitarian assistance.
In this case, it is hoped that France’s position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council will be able to support it.
France was the last destination visited by OIC foreign ministers after China, Russia and England, to gather support for resolving the crisis in Gaza and seeking peace for Palestine – in accordance with the mandate of the OIC-Arab League Summit held in Riyadh on November 11.
The first approach taken by the OIC foreign ministers was to visit and meet the governments of the permanent member countries of the UN Security Council, namely China, Russia, England and France. According to Retno, the same approach will also be carried out to as many parties as possible.
“We really hope that with this open discussion, efforts to carry out de-escalation will continue, even though we know there are still differences of opinion, especially regarding the ceasefire issue,” he said.
In discussions with these countries, he said, all parties agreed on the importance of greater and faster humanitarian assistance than currently available, considering that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is already very bad.
“Everyone also agrees against forced displacement. Everyone also shares the same view that the two-state solution must still be a reference for resolving the Palestinian problem,” said Foreign Minister Retno. (AT Network)
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