Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives (DPR RI) Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP) Chair Fadli Zon confirmed that the committee will visit Palestine in May to bolster bilateral relations between Indonesia and Palestine.

The committee's visit to Palestine also aims to reaffirm Indonesia's commitment to supporting the Palestinian independence cause and condemn Israeli aggression against Palestine, he emphasized.

"The committee has the Indonesia-Palestine Bilateral Cooperation Group (GKSB), and we plan to visit Palestine next May. (For the visit), we have the three alternatives of visiting the Gaza Strip, or Ramallah, or Amman in Jordan, the seat of the Palestinian National Council," Zon stated at the Legislative Complex here on Thursday.

The legislator pointed out that the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip due to constant Israeli aggression posed a security threat for BKSAP delegates that might prevent them from visiting the region.

Due to the lack of conducive conditions in the Gaza Strip, a visit to Ramallah or Amman will be a more probable alternative, he noted.

Zon highlighted that the Indonesian people, including the government and the parliament, are resolute in their commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause.

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"Indonesia's relations with Palestine are special because our successive governments always support Palestinian independence. DPR RI Speaker (Puan Maharani) also reiterated the Indonesian parliament's commitment to supporting Palestine to achieve independence," the committee chair remarked.

He then affirmed that Indonesia condemns Israeli aggression against Palestine, particularly the recent attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest places in Islam, during the Ramadan period that is revered by Muslims.

According to Zon, the Israelis were the ones that provoked the attack by harassing and shooting Palestinians, who were praying at the mosque.

"(The Israelis) instead allowed Jewish extremist groups to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a provocation and an intolerant action," Zon emphasized.

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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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