Israeli authorities denied entrance, to the occupied West Bank, to an Indonesian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, on Sunday morning.The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement, that Marsudi was scheduled to visit the occupied Palestinian territory and meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah.
Matsudi, according to Ma’an, was also scheduled to inaugurate an honorary consulate of Indonesia in Ramallah.
The Palestinian Authority statement added that al-Maliki traveled to Jordan on Sunday morning in order to meet with her in Amman instead.
The two will discuss issues of importance to both countries and the how to improve bilateral relations, the statement said.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the incident.
However, Israeli newspaper ‘Haaretz’ reported that Marsudi was turned away due to her refusal to also meet with Israeli political figures, during her trip.
Israel controls access to the West Bank, which can be reached via the main checkpoint outside Jerusalem, on the road coming up from Ben Gurion International Airport, or at the Allenby Bridge over the Jordan River, on the road from Amman.
Israel has denied foreign diplomats entry to Palestinian territory numerous times, over the years. Earlier this month, Israeli authorities denied a delegation of Belgian lawmakers entry into the blockaded Gaza Strip.
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