Indonesian Parliament to Send Delegation to Gaza

Jakarta - The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I will soon send a delegation to Gaza in order to provide moral and political support to Palestine. "The delegation will meet with members of the Palestinian parliament in Amman, Jordan, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, West Bank," the DPR said in a press statement here on Wednesday. "The visit is important to prevent a war that could break out any time and to help build world peace," it added. Besides, the visit is in line with Indonesia's Constitution, which has mandated that the country help occupied nations gain freedom. The Indonesian legislators will also bring along a humanitarian mission to Gaza, where more than 100 people, mostly women and children, were killed in recent Israeli air strikes. The lawmakers are also expected to meet the 28 Indonesian volunteers who are building a hospital in North Gaza. Despite the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the volunteers have decided to stay on and continue their work. On November 14, an Israeli rocket landed approximately 100 metres away from the hospital, killing a Hamas leader. Before entering Palestine, the Indonesian parliamentarians will visit Egypt and hold meetings with the Egyptian prime minister, members of parliament, and leaders of the Arab League. Recently, the chairman of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), Dr Jose Rizal Jurnalis, expressed hope that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would visit North Gaza. "In the past, during a time of conflict, the then president Suharto had visited Bosnia. Now, we hope President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would visit Gaza," he said at a press conference held here on Monday. "The President's visit to Gaza would help strengthen our relationship with Palestine. Israel knows it very well that Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country," Jurnalis added. (*)