Indonesia urges more international protection for Al-Aqsa

Next week, Indonesia will propose international protection for Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound, to help avoid any further clashes between Israeli authorities and Palestinian worshippers, said an official on Friday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir told reporters that Indonesia will urge the international community and the United Nations to provide oversight and protection for Al-Aqsa.

He said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will deliver the proposal at next Tuesday’s meeting in Istanbul of the foreign ministers of the member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“We must get assurance that the situation of Al-Aqsa is gradually getting better,” said Nasir as quoted by the Metro TV News website.

Nasir said Indonesia, the world’s most populous majority-Muslim country, continues to call for unity among OIC states to maintain the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque and encourage Palestinian independence.

He cited the efforts of OIC countries to seek Palestinian independence after a half-century of Israeli occupation, adding:

We cannot wait another 50 years, we must increase the unity of OIC countries to be able to encourage the international community to resolve the situation in Palestine