Rescue International urges Austria to consider recognizing Palestinian state

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JAKARTA (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Indonesia hopes Austria will consider recognizing the State of Palestine.

“I convey Indonesia’s hope that Austria will start considering recognizing Palestine,” Marsudi said in a written statement issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his visit to Vienna, Austria on Tuesday (June 25).

Marsudi told Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg that Indonesia understands Austria’s current difficult situation.

However, given Austria’s support for a two-state solution, Marsudi believes that recognizing the State of Palestine is a step that demonstrates Austria’s consistent support for the two-state solution.

At the same time, in addition to expressing his hope that Austria would recognize the State of Palestine, Marsudi also expressed his gratitude for Austria’s support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Austria once froze its aid to UNRWA, but on May 18, the Austrian government decided to resume funding to UNRWA, with a total budget of 3.4 million euros in 2024.

She said that since October 7, 2023, Austria has distributed humanitarian aid worth 32 million euros through the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Humanitarian aid is vital to safeguarding the lives of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.

“According to recent reports, the entire population of Gaza (approximately 2.23 million people) is facing severe food insecurity,” she commented.

She therefore stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the war and efforts to save the lives of innocent people in Gaza.

Marsudi stressed: “Once again, a ceasefire must be implemented immediately and the war must stop so that we can immediately save the lives of innocent people in Gaza.”

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