Indonesia calls for concrete action to protect Jerusalem’s status quo

indonesianupdates.com_admin

2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono called on the international community to take concrete action to stop ongoing violations in Palestine and protect the historic status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

Speaking at the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, held on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Friday (September 25), Sugiono warned of a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground driven by persistent provocations.

Highlighting escalating violations by Israeli forces and settlers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, Sugiono urged global powers to strengthen support for the Jordanian Waqf and the Hashemite Custodianship—which manage the holy sites and resist unilateral claims.

“The international community’s call is clear. Yet, the reality on the ground is moving further away from what we have repeatedly advocated for. The sanctity of holy sites cannot be violated without consequences,” Sugiono said in a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Saturday.

The minister emphasized that Palestinian territories—including Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem—form a single political and territorial entity.

Therefore, stability in one area cannot be achieved while violations persist in others.

Sugiono reaffirmed Indonesia’s opposition to Israel’s expansion of illegal settlements, which violates UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and undermines the viability of a sovereign Palestinian state and the Two-State Solution.

To address these violations, Indonesia urged member nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League to strengthen joint action, including restricting or banning imports from illegal settlements.

Sugiono also called for broader international cooperation to hold violators accountable and advance peace efforts, alongside continued support for Gaza’s reconstruction, Palestinian national unity and ongoing funding for UNRWA—the UN agency providing critical aid to Palestinian refugees.

Friday’s ministerial gathering follows an extraordinary OIC meeting in Jeddah last month, reflecting a broader effort among Arab and Islamic nations to present a unified diplomatic front in defense of Jerusalem and Palestinian statehood.