08 December 2017•Update: 08 December 2017
By Ainur Rohmah
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday called on Muslim countries to unite and reject US move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Jokowi made a call during his meeting with Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui at the Bogor Palace in West Java on Friday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.
Marsudi said she has lobbied several foreign ministries, including the EU foreign minister, not to follow the US policy of moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, thousands of Indonesians in various parts of Indonesia staged a demonstration, calling on the Indonesian government and the United Nations to play a bigger role in “saving Palestine”.
The protestors carried posters saying "Save Jerusalem from Trump" and "Say No to Trump, Save Al-Aqsa".
Hundreds of members of the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama -- which claims to have more than 50 million members -- held a demonstration in front of the United States Embassy in Jakarta.
"(We) encourage the Indonesian government to reconsider diplomatic relations with US and suspend the operations of multi-national companies from the US if President Donald Trump does not revoke his statement," said Chairman of the Youth Association of Nahdlatul Ulama (IPNU) Asep Irfan Mujahid in his oration.
"Expel the US ambassador if he ignores this demand," said Mujahid.
He said Trump's statement actually disrupts the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
Despite widespread international opposition, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
According to Trump, the U.S. State Department has been told to begin preparations for relocating the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem policy triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq and other Muslim countries.
Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- now occupied by Israel -- might eventually serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
