By Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Arrmanatha Natsir said Indonesia continues to encourage the UN General Assembly to hold a special session to discuss Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Palestine.
“From the start, we have tried to talk with Palestine, with the Arab League to push for an emergency special session at the UN General Assembly,” said Ambassador Arrmanatha in a press conference held online by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tuesday evening.
Arrmanatha said that since the conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7 2023, Indonesia has made various efforts to encourage an end to the conflict in Gaza
One of these efforts made by talking to Palestine and the Arab League to push for an emergency special session at the UN General Assembly.
This encouragement appreciated. However, Palestine and the Arab League are trying to provide an opportunity for the UN Security Council to carry out its function of discussing and working on a resolution which is expect to encourage a ceasefire.
Due to very sharp differences of opinion among member countries, the UN Security Council has so far not produced any concrete efforts to end the conflict.
Therefore, Palestine and the Arab League met and decided to try to continue discussions elsewhere, namely through a special session at the UN General Assembly.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with encouragement from Indonesia, also agreed to bring issues that the Security Council failed to decide on to the UN General Assembly through a special session.
The OIC and the Arab League on October 19 sent a letter to the president of the UN General Assembly requesting that an emergency special session be at the UN General Assembly to discuss the Gaza issue and the Palestinian issue.
Arrmanatha said Indonesia also took the initiative to gather support from countries outside the OIC to provide support for its position on this issue.
Indonesia spoke with countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia to encourage the special session.
This encouragement was welcome and Indonesia is again gathering other support from countries outside Southeast Asia, said Arrmanatha.
On October 23 2023, the OIC and the Arab League, and with encouragement from Indonesia and nine other countries, finally submitted a proposal for the UN General Assembly to hold a special session.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the UN General Assembly on the same day indicated that he agreed with the proposal to hold a special session on Thursday 26 October 2023.
“So, this cannot be separated from Indonesia’s efforts from the start. But Indonesia also listened to the wishes of Palestine and the Arab League so it had to wait after the failure of the Security Council,” said Arrmanatha.
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