Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Palestine's new Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar will visit Indonesia this week to seek financial assistance for his Hamas-led government.
Western donor countries cut off aid to the Palestinian authority after Hamas' victory in January's general elections, saying Hamas had links to terrorism and refused to recognize Israel.
This will be the first visit by a Palestinian foreign minister to Indonesia since Hamas came to power.
Director for Middle East affairs at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Chandra Salim said during the official visit from May 25 to 26, al-Zahar would meet with Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss how Indonesia could help Palestine develop further.
""The agenda is a bilateral talk on how Indonesia can help Palestine to increase their capacity in good governance, education, and democracy,"" he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Chandra said the bilateral talk would also include development planning as the Palestinian minister of development was one of the delegation members.
Asked about possibility that the minister would ask for financial assistance from Indonesia, Chandra said the Palestinian delegation were likely to raise the financial difficulties they were facing.
""President Yudhoyono has repeatedly expressed the need for Indonesia to help Palestine so we will help them in a concrete manner. I think if they ask for financial aid then we will probably give it to them,"" he said, although he did not elaborate on the amount of money Indonesia would give the Palestinians.
After the new Hamas-led government refused to recognize Israel, the U.S., European countries and Israel cut off financial assistance to Palestine, causing deep financial problems to its government and people.
Indonesia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel and supports the Palestinian cause, has expressed disagreement with the decision to halt financial aid to Palestine.
During his visit to several countries in the Middle East earlier this month, President Yudhoyono reiterated his support for Palestinians to have financial assistance.
On Sunday, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged US$16 million in humanitarian aid and budget support to the Palestinian authority.
Palestine's Ambassador-designate to Indonesia, Fariz Mehdawi, said the Palestinian people were grateful for what Indonesia had contributed.
""We will accept whatever our big brother Indonesia will give to us,"" he told the Post.
Mehdawi said beside briefing President Yudhoyono and Hassan about the current condition of the Palestinian people, al-Zahar was also scheduled to meet House of Representatives speaker Agung Laksono and several of House members.
Chandra said it was also possible the Palestinian delegation would ask Indonesia to help solve Palestine's conflict with Israel.
Regarding Indonesia`s plan to open a representative office in Ramallah, Chandra said Indonesia had had difficulties in realizing the plan, as Israel's permission was required and Indonesia had no diplomatic ties with it.
