Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is urging the Indonesian government to condemn the actions of the United States which voted against a United Nations Security Council resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza, Palestine.
The resolution failed because the US used its veto right to protect its ally, Israel.
Kontras Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs, Andi Muhammad Rezaldy, said that it is important for Indonesia to criticise the US in order to respond to the crisis in Gaza.
"We think it's important and necessary for the Indonesian government to criticise the veto by other countries related to the situation that is taking place in Palestine", said Rezaldy at the Kontras office in Jakarta on Sunday December 10.
Rezaldy is urging the government to continue to lobby other countries in the world to resolve the conflict in Gaza.
"Of course, on Kontras part we encourage the Indonesian government to carry out diplomacy in the international context, to continue to encourage that a ceasefire takes place in Palestine", he said.
"We also encourage Indonesia to play an active role in the process of resolving the conflict that is occurring in Palestine", he added.
The US used its veto right to defeat a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza during a vote at the UN Security Council on Friday December 8.
The resolution, which was submitted by the United Arab Emirate (UEA), was opposed by the US because it was deemed to not be in line with reality. Washington believes the resolution would have make it possible for Hamas to repeat its attack on Israel as it did on October 7.
In the vote, 13 UN Security Council members were united in supporting the UEA resolution. Only Britain abstained.
The UN Security Council is made up of 15 member countries comprising 10 non-permanent members and five permanent members, namely China, Britain, the US, Russia and France. The permanent members of the council have the right of veto.
Since the start of Israel's aggression against Palestine on October 7, nearly 17,500 Palestinians have been killed and tens of thousands of others injured. During this period, the UN Security Council has only issued one resolution on the conflict when the presidency was held by China. (mab/pta)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "KontraS Desak Pemerintah Kecam AS soal Veto Gencatan Senjata di Gaza".]
