Jakarta. Lawmaker Bobby Adhityo Rizaldi praises what President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been doing in response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.

As a case in point, President Jokowi earlier this month attended the joint summit between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League which zeroed in on the Israeli aggression in Gaza. The Indonesian leader then met with his US counterpart Joe Biden as the OIC’s messenger, conveying the summit’s outcomes that called for peace in Gaza.

“I think what Mr. President is doing is incredible. It is something to be proud of. How [Mr. President] conveyed the OIC results [to Joe Biden]. How [the OIC] sees Indonesia as a major country that is on equal footing that we deliver the message to Biden,” Bobby told Beritasatu.com on Tuesday.

According to Bobby, Indonesia’s efforts have helped pave the way for a ceasefire in Gaza that aims at enabling entry of humanitarian assistance. 

The lawmaker said that Indonesia had been consistent in supporting Palestine’s independence by telling the world of its 1945 Constitution preamble. The preamble states that independence is the inalienable right of all nations, thus calling for the abolishment of all sorts of colonialism. 

Bobby brought up Indonesia’s role at a recent Trade and Development Board (TDB) session. The TDB is a decision-making body at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Febrian A Ruddyard, the Indonesian permanent representative to the United Nations, last week chaired the TDB’s 74th executive session in Geneva.

“As chair, Indonesia called for the entry of humanitarian assistance to Palestine,” Bobby said.

As for now, it is best to focus on getting the much-needed food and other necessities to the war-torn Gaza. Indonesia should also maintain its pro-Palestine stance by not establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel, according to the politician.