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Gaza war not religious, foreign minister says
In her opening speech at a cross-religious conference on Wednesday, the Foreign Minister said the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza was not a religious conflict and emphasized that religious diversity was an asset in peace advocacy.
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi delivers a speech on July 10, 2024 to open the International Conference on Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy in Jakarta. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S)
T
he ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza was not a religious conflict, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi told the International Conference on Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy on Wednesday in Jakarta, while highlighting that different faiths could be an asset to problem-solving in international relations when approached with tolerance and unity.
The two-day conference organized by the Leimena Institute gathered dozens of academics, activists and diplomats from around the world to discuss the role of multi-faith collaboration in upholding human rights, addressing geopolitical challenges and advancing sustainable development.
In her opening remarks, Retno lamented the “urgent and elusive” quest for global peace, referring specifically to the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Palestine as casting doubt on “the existence of solidarity and humanity”.
She noted that some widespread narratives pointing to religious differences as the root cause of the decades-long dispute between Palestine and Israel, which had only worsened after Gaza’s militant group Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.
Contrary to such narratives, Retno emphasized that the conflict was far more complicated than religious differences.
“[The conflict is] not inherently religious, but religious elements are often present and intensifying tensions,” the minister said. “Therefore, understanding diverse faiths is crucial, an endeavor we must always nurture.”
She added that diverse faiths should be seen as an asset in peace advocacy: “When parties from various backgrounds participate in constructive dialogue, our solutions sharpen.”
