Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono highlighted the Palestinian issue as the clearest test for the international community to uphold international law amidst ongoing violations without concrete action to stop them.
In Indonesia’s national statement delivered before the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday local time (September 26), Sugiono said that international institutions are only as strong as the principles if the world is willing to defend and uphold international law.
“This is where Palestine remains one of the clearest tests of these principles, and the test of our conscience,” he said as monitored on Sunday.
He assessed that the clear violations of international law in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank demonstrate the world’s unfamiliarity with the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the four Geneva Conventions of 1949.
“The violations of international law in Gaza and the West Bank remind us of the world before 1945… when a particular group was nearly wiped out,” he pointed out.
Furthermore, Sugiono said Indonesia’s own struggle for independence continues to inspire its solidarity with the Palestinian people.
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Indonesia experienced the struggle against colonialism at a time when international law was weak and might was right, he continued.
“Our nation’s journey to independence has shaped our consistent support for the Palestinian people and their right to determine their own future,” Sugiono emphasized.
He then stated Indonesia’s determination to stand with the Palestinian people until their right to self-determination is achieved.
Indonesia will also continue to stand with the Palestinian people until their independence and sovereignty are realized through the principle of a two-state solution based on international law and internationally agreed parameters.
“Palestine is not only a question for one region. Palestine is a test of whether the multilateral system can uphold the very principles it was created to defend, and whether it can deliver when it matters most,” the minister conveyed.
He said that despite various efforts to reform international institutions, international law must not be overlooked and must be consistently enforced. Upholding international law will also safeguard multilateralism worldwide.
“Sovereignty must be respected, and colonialism must end,” he stated.
Indonesia was represented by Foreign Minister Sugiono at the 2026 UN General Assembly. Prior to delivering Indonesia’s national statement on Saturday, Sugiono took part in a series of high-level and bilateral meetings.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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