Presidential candidate Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo says he will set up an Indonesian Embassy in Palestine if he is elected president.

'€œWe have firmly stated that we fully support [the independence of] Palestine; thus, establishing an embassy there is unavoidable,'€ he said as quoted by tempo.co in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Monday evening.

Jokowi went on to say that opening an embassy would be a show of support for a free Palestine. Indonesia, he added, supported Palestine in becoming a United Nations (UN) member country.

'€œWe support the independence of Palestine because our Constitution states that independence is a right of all nations. Any Indonesian president must follow the Constitution, laws,'€ he said.

Palestine declared its independence on Nov.15, 1988. Israel, however, has occupied most areas Palestine claims since 1967. The Palestinian National Authority (PLO) started to exercise its socio-political administration in limited areas in 1993. The UN granted the PLO an observer status.

Jokowi brushed off speculation that he raised the issue of Palestine merely to boost his electability. He said he had long known Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Fariz M.Mehdawi.

'€œJust ask him how long we'€™ve been friends. And ask him, is it true that he had once sent the Palestinian soccer team to Surakarta?'€ Jokowi said. He also asserted that Indonesia should not give half-hearted support to Palestine. (fss/ebf)

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