Israel Bars Indonesian FM from Ramallah

YERUSHALAYIM

Israeli authorities prevented the Foreign Minister of Indonesia from entering the Palestinian headquarters in Ramallah for an official visit on Sunday, The Jerusalem Post reported.

As a result, Retno Marsudi had to meet with her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki in Jordan instead.

It also meant that Marsudi could not go to Ramallah for the planned opening of the first honorary Indonesian consulate in the Palestinian Authority.

Indonesia has maintained a pro-Palestinian policy for decades, recognizing a state of Palestine back in 1988. It has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, and no Indonesian foreign minister or president has ever made a trip to Israel.

On the other hand, both Yasser Arafat and PA President Mahmoud Abbas have visited Indonesia. Abbas was in Jakarta a week ago for the Organization of Islamic States summit on the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

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