Indonesian Parliamentarian Delegation Meets PM Haniya In Gaza

Gaza, Palestine, Nov 30 (ANTARA) - Palestinian Prime Minister Islamil Haniya received the Indonesian parliamentarian delegation in Gaza on Thursday evening. "Although Indonesia is geographically far away from us, the country is close to the heart of the Palestinian people," Haniya, who is also the head of HAMAS, told the delegation led by Mahfuds Siddiq, the chairman of the Indonesian Parliament`s Commission I on international affairs. "Despite the recent aggression of Israeli military, Palestine did not feel alone because it got international support including from Indonesia," he said. "We watched the television, and we saw Indonesian people stage rallies to support Palestine and condemn our enemies," Haniya stated. "Palestine appreciates its supporters who held the rallies, and we also thank those who are at home but pray for our success in our efforts to gain independence," he added. On the occasion, Siddiq told Haniya that he had �come with a big delegation to demonstrate Indonesia`s sympathy for the Palestinian people�. The delegation includes seven legislators, 10 journalists, staff members of the Indonesian embassies in Cairo and Amman, and NGO activists. "The Palestinian cause is also the Arab`s cause and the Muslim world`s cause because of the existence of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem," Siddiq noted. "We want to protect this Islamic heritage, which belongs to the Islamic world," he said. Prior to paying a courtesy call on the prime minister, the delegation held a meeting with Palestinian House Speaker Ahmad Bahar and other Palestinian parliamentarians. The chairman of the National Committee for Palestinian People, Suripto, said at the meeting that his NGO had collected donations worth US$1 million, or around Rp9.5 billion, from the Indonesian people.