Indonesian President Joko Widodo is calling on Muslim nations around the world to come together in support of the Palestinians.
He made his remark during a special Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit dealing with issues related to Palestinians and to Jerusalem. Associated Press reports that representatives from the UN Security Council member states as well as the Middle East Quartet - the US, Russia, the European Union and the UN - are also attending.
President Widodo opened the summit by declaring that "the OIC should be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. If the OIC cannot be part of the solution to Palestine, then the OIC becomes irrelevant."
Others present suggested that all of the Middle East's problems are due to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. "The complexity of the problems continues to emerge in the Middle East, but the condition of Palestinians has always been a concern for Muslims in the world. Resolving the al-Quds [Jerusalem] issue can create peace in the region," said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
There are no reports of disagreements to these claims or suggestions that other issues in the Muslim world, such as the fighting in Syria and Yemen or accusations of human rights violations in Sudan, would be appropriate subjects for the OIC to tackle. Notably, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was present at the meeting, despite being wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
Indonesia is home to nearly 200 million Muslims, making it the largest Muslim country in the world.