The Jakarta Post, 5/7/2006 11:58:11 AM
Thousands of Muslims rally in support of Palestine
JAKARTA (Agencies): Thousands of Indonesian Muslims rallied in support of the
Hamas-led Palestinian government Sunday, demanding an end to the West's
economic boycott of the regime.
Supporters of the conservative Justice Prosperous Party (PKS), including many
families with children, waved Palestinian flags and banners and collected donations in
the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
"We call on all Indonesians ... to put aside your money, one man one dollar, for our
Palestinian brothers and sisters, who suffer from economic boycott by powerful
countries," PKS chairman Tifatul Sembiring was quoted by Antara as saying.
He was speaking to protesters, who were gathering in front of the U.S. embassy on Jl.
Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta on Sunday.
The West has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in direct aid to the Palestinian
Authority since the Hamas government took office in late March, demanding that
Hamas recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements.
"The United States calls for democracy, but when Hamas won the election, they did
not accept it," Adnan Sanusi, 27, one of the protesters, as he marched with his wife
and 4-year-old daughterin downtown Jakarta.
"It is the double standard of the United States we are against," he was quoted by AP
as saying.
Money was collected to pay for clothing and food for Palestinians affected by the
boycott. Smaller pro-Palestinian rallies were held in major towns and cities across the
country.
Indonesia, which has the world's largest population of Muslims, has long supported
Palestinian independence efforts. It said last month it was considering opening a
diplomatic mission in the West Bank town of Ramallah. (**)
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