Indonesia and China have recently expressed their strong support for Palestine’s full membership in the UN, marking a significant stance ahead of the UN Security Council’s vote on the matter.
During a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, both Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed their countries’ backing for Palestine’s bid.
The war on Gaza was among the key themes both diplomats had discussed in their bilateral talks. “And just like what Mr. Wang Yi has said, both China and Indonesia will fully support Palestine’s full membership at the UN,” Retno told reporters following the meeting.
This diplomatic move comes at a crucial time, as the US, a permanent member of the Security Council, has vetoed a resolution that would have advanced Palestine’s membership status, despite support from the majority of the council members.
“This shows that to the US, international law is only a tool they use as they want. The UN Charter has stated that the Security Council’s resolutions are binding to all UN members,” Wang Yi said.
The US veto is constantly used in support of the Israeli occupation state to maintain the status quo of apartheid and the ongoing occupation of Palestine. This decision has long been criticised as being contrary to the widespread international support for Palestinian statehood, as noted during various international discussions and previous UN resolutions.
The support from countries China is nonetheless a significant step towards recognition of Palestinian statehood, at a time when Israel is increasingly isolated over the genocide it is carrying out in Gaza.
