Indonesia, UAE Call For Middle East Unity Amid Geopolitical Tensions

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have called on Middle Eastern countries to unite amid regional geopolitical tensions, days after Israel’s September 9 strike on Qatar drew widespread international condemnation.

The matter was discussed during President Prabowo Subianto’s meeting with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Friday, a few hours after Prabowo flew to Doha as a gesture of solidarity following the attack.

Israel struck residential buildings in Doha last Tuesday to target members of Hamas’s Political Bureau while the group’s negotiators were in the city discussing a United States (US)-proposed ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

Qatar, together with Egypt and the US, has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a potential prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement in the war-torn city of Gaza.

Prabowo and Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for cooperation between nations, particularly in the Middle East, to strengthen international cooperation and maintain global stability and peace, according to Indonesia’s Presidential Secretariat in a statement.

During the meeting, which highlighted the importance of direct communication between leaders in addressing global issues, the two also reaffirmed bilateral cooperation across various sectors and pledged to bring bilateral relations to a closer and more productive level.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed appreciation for Prabowo’s visit to Abu Dhabi, noting Indonesia’s role as a strategic partner in Southeast Asia, the statement added.

-- BERNAMA