Indonesian, Palestinian Citizens Cooperate To Distribute Aid

JAKARTA, June 22 (Antara) - Abdillah Onim, an Indonesian citizen living in Gaza, and Abeer Zeyad, a resident of Jerusalem, have been working together to distribute aid from Indonesians to Palestinian people during the holy month of Ramadhan. According to a statement from the Palestinian Function at the Indonesian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, Nico Adam, received by Antara here on Wednesday, the aid was allocated for humanitarian programs initiated by Onim covering the Gaza Strip to the West Bank, especially Jerusalem or the Al-Quds Old City. Until the last week of the holy month of Ramadhan, he and Zeyad had organized three events for breaking the fast along with at least 1,800 Palestinians and were supported by funds provided by Indonesian Muslims. Onim also organized several other activities, such as distributing basic commodities, education funds through foster care programs, and diesel oil for 140 mosques in Gaza. Over Rp2 billion, or about US$150,285, provided by Indonesian Muslims have been spent to organize all these activities. Zeyad, representing the Palestinian Muslims, extended greetings and gratitude to Muslims in Indonesia who never stop sending aid to people of a country that is still occupied by Israel. "Although we are far away, Muslims in Indonesia are always concerned about their brothers in Palestine, especially in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a gift from Allah, The Almighty, for the bond of mind and faith shared between Indonesian and Palestinian Muslims," Zeyad remarked. Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Jordan concurrently the State of Palestine, Andy Rachmianto, welcomed the cooperation between Onim in the Gaza Strip and Zeyad in Jerusalem. Despite the current difficult situation, wherein the attention of the international community is drawn by the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region, Indonesians continue to accord priority and lend support to Palestinian Muslim brothers in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank. According to the ambassador, the attention demonstrates the high concern shown by the Indonesian people for the Palestinians Muslims, especially in the month of Ramadan. Ambassador Rachmianto has long addressed the issue of Palestine since serving as the director of International Security and Disarmament at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and while serving in the United Nations in New York, the United States.