Indonesian FM banned entry to West Bank

AMMAN — Israel on Sunday banned Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi from entering to the occupied West Bank, where she was scheduled to hold talks with Palestinian leaders, the minister told The Jordan Times in Amman later in the day.

The minister said she was due to open an honorary consulate in Ramallah, adding: "That was anticipated. I had already expected that they would do that. It is not the first time that they ban a foreign minister of a Muslim country from entering Ramallah."

"In spite of that, my mission was accomplished, “ Marsudi said, explaining that she met here with her Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Maliki and the honorary consul, who was appointed officially and would start her service immediately.

“At my meetings in Jordan with officials, we discussed bilateral ties and how to put the Palestinian issue back on the international community’s radar,” said the minister, referring to a recent meeting for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Indonesia, which stressed on the illegality of Israeli settlement activities and their adverse impact on the Palestinian territories and peace prospects.