Jokowi Urges Evacuation of Indonesians from Lebanon Amid Israel Strikes
- Youtube Sekretariat Presiden
Penajam Paser Utara, VIVA – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) issued a stern rebuke against Israel's ongoing offensive in Lebanon since Monday (Sept 23) that has claimed 500 lives.
"Indonesia strongly condemns the Israeli attack on Lebanon," the head of state said in a press statement at IKN Nusantara, East Kalimantan, on Wednesday (Sept 25).
To that end, the president implored swift action from the United Nations (UN) and the global community to halt Israel's offensive and stem the rising death toll.
VIVA Militer: Perumahan warga Lebanon jadi sasaran serangan militer Israel
- Anadolu Agency/Houssam Shbaro
"We ask all countries and the UN to provide a quick response," he emphasized.
President Jokowi also contacted Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi regarding the plan to repatriate Indonesian citizens in Lebanon."
I have contacted Minister Marsudi. It is still in process," he noted.Earlier, Minister Marsudi had also responded to the ongoing Israeli air strikes on Lebanon since Monday.
Minister Marsudi conveyed this on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, on Tuesday (September 24).
"We strongly condemn the Israeli attack on Lebanon, which resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths, including children," she emphasized.
According to the Lebanese government report, the death toll had reached 558, with more than a thousand injured.
The minister said this attack has escalated tensions amid the situation in the Middle East, which is experiencing a humanitarian crisis.
"(This is) especially because of the atrocities, the continuous violence carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people. This violence and aggression must not become a new normal," she stressed.
Moreover, the minister pointed out that this latest attack is related to Indonesia, which deployed the largest number of peacekeepers to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), totaling 1,232 people.
"Their safety is also a concern, not only from Indonesia but also from the UN," she affirmed.
