Indonesian foreign minister criticizes west’s ‘double standards’ over Palestine

• Marsudi criticizes the “double standards” of the Global North.
• Marsudi plans to represent Indonesia at the International Court of Justice on February 19 
• She emphasizes the UN’s inability to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza 

On Monday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi criticized the West’s “double standards” on Gaza and pledged continued support for Palestine.

Indonesia, considering Palestinian statehood mandated by its constitution, which calls for the abolition of colonialism, has been a steadfast supporter of Palestine. The Indonesian government has consistently condemned Israeli violence and has actively sought international support since the escalation of Tel Aviv’s bombardment of Gaza in early October.

Since then, Israel’s relentless military campaign has resulted in the death of more than 22,000 Palestinians and the destruction or damage of most homes in the besieged strip.

“The case of Palestine showed double standards from a number of countries in the world, especially those in the Global North,” Marsudi said during her annual press statement.

“Global North countries are suddenly quiet as they watch humanitarian violations. Where are all the lectures they often give about human rights? Doesn’t Palestine have the same rights as the rest of us? Why does it seem like the nation of Palestine is below us?”

As part of a ministerial committee assigned by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic Summit in November, Indonesia, along with other members, advocated for an end to Israel’s ongoing deadly onslaught on Gaza.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan:

Chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the committee met officials representing each of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to increase pressure on the West to reject Israel’s justification of its bombardment of Gaza as self-defense.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi specified that she would represent Indonesia at the International Court of Justice on Feb. 19. During the public hearing, she is scheduled to address and urge the ICJ to provide an advisory opinion that strengthens Palestine’s legal standing.

This hearing at The Hague is a follow-up to a December 2022 resolution passed by the UN General Assembly, calling on the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

“The point is that the UN cannot forget the struggle of the nation of Palestine,” Marsudi added.

Emphasizing the UN Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire last month after the US vetoed it, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi highlighted the Council’s inability “to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

Speaking from the Merdeka Building in Bandung, West Java, Marsudi pointed out that the venue served as a reminder of Indonesia’s “debt” to Palestine. The building, a museum commemorating the 1955 Asian-African Conference, aimed to oppose colonialism and eventually led to the Non-Aligned Movement. Among the more than two dozen countries that participated, Palestine is the only one that has yet to gain its independence.

“This building is a reminder of a debt that we have yet to pay, and that is the independence of Palestine,” she said. “Indonesia will always fight for Palestine.”

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