Indonesia urges U.S. to persuade Israel to end violence in Jerusalem

APD NEWS

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By APD Writer Maverick

JAKARTA, July 24 (APD) – Indonesia has urged the United States to take necessary steps to stop Israel from conducting more violence which already killed three Palestinian Muslims and injured more than 100 others, saying that Israel’s moves have escalated tensions and limited Muslim’s activities to pray in Al-Aqsa holy mosque.

“Reduction of escalation is important to prevent the situation leading to the worse. Indonesia has asked the United States to urge Israel to stop worshipping restrictions and ending the violence in the mosque,” Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said, citing to content of her recent phone conversation with the United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

During the phone conversation, the Indonesian minister conveyed Indonesia’s concern on the worsening development around the mosque compound following Israeli restriction for Muslims to pray inside the mosque located in the old city of Jerusalem.

In his turn, Secretary Rex also shared Indonesia’s concern over the developing situation in the mosque, agreed with Indonesia’s notion to prevent the violence from escalating, Retno quoted Rex’ statement in the phone conversation.

Rex also reminded the importance to preserve the status quo status of the holy worship place, she said in a statement on Sunday.

In other moves to respond the developing situation in Jerusalem, the Indonesian foreign minister had also called her counterparts from Jordan, Palestine, Turkey and secretary general of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) aimed at assuring the situation would not be worsening, immediate reopening of access for Muslims to pray in the mosque.

Besides that, Retno also called the United Nations headquarters in New York to convey strong message of Indonesia’s stance over the latest crisis in Jerusalem.

Indonesia has no diplomatic ties with Israel to follow suit its foreign affairs policy and relentless support for Palestine.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has conveyed his blatant condemnation against Israeli authorities’ violence against Palestinian Muslims, regarded it as a human rights violation.

“Indonesia opposes any form of human rights violation, including the killings of people who were about to conduct their rights to pray in Al Aqsa mosque,” the president said in Yogyakarta on Saturday to respond the deadly violence in Jerusalem.

President Widodo urged the UN secretary general and security council to arrange an assembly to particularly discuss the violence.

Israeli authorities responded harshly the demands of Palestinian Muslims to remove metal detectors in the mosque entrance gates prior to Friday prayer, led to deadly clashes between the two sides, resulted in 3 casualties and injured more than 100 others.

Besides installing metal detectors, Israeli authorities also reduced the access for Muslims to enter the mosque.

Israel’s restriction in the mosque was following attacks in the mosque that killed 2 Israeli police on July 14, carried out by 3 gunmen who eventually were shot dead by Israeli police.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)