Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi inaugurated the country's first consulate for Palestine at the Indonesian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, after Israeli authorities denied entry for the Indonesian delegation to Palestine.
Retno, who could not go to Palestine because the Jordanian Air Force helicopter scheduled to take her to Ramallah was denied permission to cross Israeli airspace, confirmed the country's support to Palestine.
"Support for the Palestinian people's struggle has never ceased, and today we move one step forward with the inauguration of the Indonesian Honorary Consul in Ramallah," the minister said, according to the Jakarta Globe.
Retno added the honorary Consulate in Ramallah will "bridge the brotherhood between Indonesian and Palestinian people."
ABC news reported, citing local media, that Israel denied entry to Retno as she refused to visit Jerusalem to meet members of the Israeli Government.
However, Palestinian officials said the Israelis barred Retno from entering Palestine only hours before her scheduled departure.
"It's a big shame ... They could have told us a few days before," Majid Khalidi, Palestine Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's diplomatic advisor, told ABC.
Israel and Indonesia, a vocal supporter of Palestine, have no diplomatic relations between each other.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki and ambassadors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Organization of Islamic Countries attended the event.
