Retno Marsudi: How Can We Believe Netanyahu's Speech?

Author: Dian Kencana
September 29, 2024

Retno Marsudi makes her final speech as Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs at the General Debate Session of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, Friday (28/09/2024). (ANTARA/Suwanti)

SEAToday.com, New York - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech during the General Debate Session of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly.

The schedules of the two speeches are days apart. Netanyahu was on the General Assembly podium on Friday (9/27). A day later on Saturday ( 9/28), Retno delivered her message at the same forum at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States.

“Yesterday PM Netanyahu stated, 'Israel wants peace...', 'Israel yearns for peace'. Is it true? How can we believe that statement?” the Foreign Minister said.

“Yesterday, while he was here, Israel conducted an unprecedented massive airstrike against Beirut. PM Netanyahu wants the war to continue. We must stop it, again, we must stop it.”

According to Retno, the way the world should take is to put pressure on Israel to return to the political solution, the Two-State Solution.

The Foreign Minister's statement then received a loud applause from the delegates present.

Retno then emphasized again a number of things that can and should be done by world countries collectively, as she also conveyed in other UN forums.

“I urge countries that have not recognized the State of Palestine to do so now! If each of us does it, I am sure it will have an impact,” the Foreign Minister said.

She added that recognizing Palestine means investing in a more peaceful, just and humane world.

In addition, Retno said the party most capable of stopping Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians is the UN Security Council.

“The mandate of the Security Council is to maintain and create peace, not to maintain and prolong war, or even worse, to support the perpetrators of atrocities,” Retno said.