Wirayuda: waiter, check please
Note to the bold text:
Wahid Says, Indonesia Cannot Help Palestine Yet
Posted on 04/24/2002 2:04:20 PM PDT by knighthawk
By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia correspondent
ALOR SETAR, Malaysia, April 24 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Noer Hassan Wirayuda said Wednesday, April 24, that Indonesia will never recognize the state of Israel if the latter does not allow a free Palestinian nation to exist, news agencies reported.
Wirayuda stated that Indonesia will not have a diplomatic relationship with Israel as long as there is no free and independent Palestine. "Our stand on Palestine is clear, and this means no diplomatic relationships with Israel before the latter country accepts the rights of the Palestinians,” Wirayuda was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
The current Indonesian government has given its full support to the UN’s fact-finding mission to be sent to Jenin, and said it will send troops to join the UN peace mission there.
Widespread rallies were held in Indonesia in protests against the invasion of Palestine and the brutalities of Israel against the Palestinians.
Indonesia is also pressing for the complete granting of independence to Palestine, Wirayuda said, adding that his country fully supports the struggle of the Palestinian people.
"Saying that the suicide bombers are ‘terrorists’ is wrong and responding to these attacks with terror by Israel is also wrong,” Wirayuda said.
"They are attacking Israel because they feel the pressure and the oppression from the Jewish state,” He added.
Wirayuda said Indonesia, under the present regime, will never think of opening diplomatic ties with Israel like what was being suggested under the reign of Abdurrahman Wahid.
Wahid came into the limelight on Tuesday, April 23, when it was revealed by the Youth League of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, that the former President supported the idea of inviting Shimon Peres to Indonesia next month.
The youth league of the NU intends to invite Peres for a dialogue on Palestine, saying that the idea actually came from Wahid himself.
In Africa, the Muslim-dominated Niger announced Sunday, April 21, it was cutting diplomatic relations with Israel, in an official statement broadcast on the radio.
Indonesia is currently looking for the best possible ways, in its discussions with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), to solve the Palestinian problem and force the Israeli occupation army to withdraw from Palestinian lands.
Wirayuda said a solution that suits the aspirations of the Muslim world and the needs of the Palestinian must be found to end this conflict.
Indonesians have burnt Israeli flags, shouted anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans in Jakarta and other major cities ever since the launching of a massive military operation by Israel in the West Bank on March 29.
Wirayuda: waiter, check please
Note to the bold text:
Wahid Says, Indonesia Cannot Help Palestine Yet
There are some people you don't want to be "recognized" by.
Strong supporters of a Jewish save haven owe it to ourselves to be precise, if only so our own war on terrorism doesn't get bogged down and overextended.
Palestinian murder of civilians probably fits the definition of "terrorist," but it differs from the nihilistic Qaeda attacks in that it occurs in the context of a war between internationally recognized entities, one who is being occupied by the other. The Palestinians have the right, legally and morally, to resist their occupiers. And Israel, unlike the United States vis-a-vis the barbarians who attacked her, is an occupying power over those who are attacking her.
No matter how strongly you condemn Arafat--and I condemn him completely--you have to recognize this, or YOU'RE not being rational.
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