Washington,US: Indonesian President Mr. Joko Widodo has urged US President Mr. Joe Biden to do more to end “atrocities” in Gaza as the world leaders met at the White House.
Mr. Widodo, who is popularly known as Jokowi, attended a joint summit of Muslim and Arab leaders in Riyadh over the weekend which condemned Israel and called for a ceasefire.
The most populous Muslim country in the world, Indonesia, has witnessed massive protests in favour of the Palestinians as well as a boycott of businesses thought to be associated with Israel.
“Indonesia appeals to the US to do more to stop the atrocities in Gaza. A ceasefire is a must for the sake of humanity,” Mr. Widodo stated.
Mr. Biden has been facing growing criticism after voicing unwavering support for Israel’s campaign, which it is conducting in response to a shocking October 7 cross-border attack by Hamas in which over 1,200 people were killed and hundreds more taken back to Gaza as hostages.
US officials have remarked that Mr. Biden is eager for Indonesia to “play a larger role” in the Middle East, which could include the “ceasefire issue” as well as long-term goals such as a two-state solution after the war and rebuilding Gaza.
Although Washington has backed Israel completely, it has only recently begun calling for greater restraint and “pauses” in the fighting to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid or the release of the captives held by Hamas.
The meeting comes two days before Mr. Biden is due to meet Chinese President Mr. Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.
RELATED | EU condemns Hamas for using ‘hospitals as human shields’
