NU urges OIC and Arab League to show suport for Palestine

Jakarta, NU Online
Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama has urged country members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League to soon deal with Israel’s intensifying assault on the Gaza Strip.<>

"It is time to both the OIC and the Arab League to show support for Palestine," Deputy Secretary General of NU Abdul Mun'im DZ told NU Online here on Thursday (22/11).

He said that calling for stopping violent attacks on Gaza Strip in Palestine to prevent more casualties was a must.

Meanwhile, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that was in Cambodia to attend the 21st ASEAN Summit and other related meetings said that "the victims already reached thousands during the violence in 2008 and 2009."

He said unless the Israeli violence is stopped situation could escalate.

In the meeting between ASEAN countries and their partners also attended by US president Barack Obama he said he had also asked the US to do something to stop the violence.

He said the US had responded positively to the request and had pledged to work hard to stop it.

Indonesia's foreign minister Marty Natalegawa earlier said on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit President Yudhoyono had in various occasions and meetings at the summit always raised the issue of Israeli attacks on Gaza and called on the international community to stop them.

"President Yudhoyono has called on all parties to stop the cycle of violence and for excessive deployment of forces along the Gaza Strip," he said.

He said Malaysia supported Indonesia stating it would be difficult for Islamic countries to maintain the moderate stance of their Moslem populations in view of the Israeli attacks on Gaza that have claimed many Palestinian lives.

Editor : Sudarto Murtaufiq