May 23, 2024
JAKARTA – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo stressed the urgency of addressing the underlying cause of the Israel-Palestine conflict while meeting with the president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, during the 10th World Water Forum in Bali on Monday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the largest international water event, Jokowi said that he appreciated the historic progress made by UNGA members this month in giving additional rights and privileges to Palestine as a non-member observer.
On May 10, 143 countries vetoed to grant Palestine the right to sit among other UN members and to propose and co-sponsor resolutions, although it has yet to obtain the right to vote at the UNGA or be accepted as a full member of the UN.
Still, Jokowi said that more efforts needed to be made by the UN to resolve Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, which he believed was the root cause of the crisis between the two nations.
“Therefore, the process at the General Assembly should reflect efforts to achieve a two-state solution,” he continued.
In response to Jokowi, Francis said that the UN remained strongly committed to a two-state solution in Palestine.
“In all perspectives, this agreement is the only credible outcome that can guarantee peace and stability in the Middle East,” he emphasized.