Indonesia urges recognition of UN vote on Jerusalem

By Erric Permana

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Indonesia has requested that all member states of the United Nations respect the result of the vote over Jerusalem.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Armanatha Nasir said Indonesia, as one of the backers of the resolution, asked that all countries support Palestinian independence.

“Indonesia urges that all parties support the Israel and Palestine peace process,” Armanatha said.

The spokesperson noted that the adoption of the UN resolution showed that the majority of the world advocated for the Palestinian cause. “Likewise, Indonesia will also continue diplomatic efforts for Palestine,” Armanatha explained.

“That includes providing concrete development steps for Palestine,” he added.

The United Nations on Thursday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution on Jerusalem, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital.

A total of 128 members voted in favor of the Jerusalem resolution, nine countries voted against and 35 others abstained.

The UN’s 193-member General Assembly voted on the resolution rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s Dec. 6 decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital -- a move that has drawn condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world.

Israel, Honduras, Togo, the U.S., Palau, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, and Guatemala voted against the Jerusalem resolution.

Two-thirds of UN-member states, among them Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, and Greece, voted in favor of the resolution.