INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING JERUSALEM By Fardah

Jakarta, April 21, 2016 (Antara) - Every Christian and Muslim in Indonesia aspires to visit Jerusalem, where Jesus (Prophet Isa in Islam) was born and the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven from Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site for Muslims after the Al-Haram and Nabawi Mosques.          But this will only be possible if Palestine is free and Palestine is not occupied by Zionist Israel; then millions of Indonesian Muslims and Christians would willingly visit Jerusalem again and again.      In line with Islamic teachings in particular, there are three special places to which all Muslims are advised to undertake a journey to.   Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad, said, "I have set out deliberately on a journey to only three mosques: this mosque of mine (in Medina), the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and the Masjid Al Aqsa."       Al Aqsa (literally means "the Farthest Mosque") located in the Al-Haram Al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem, is the second house of prayer established on earth and the first Qibla (the direction to which Muslims face when praying).       The graves of over 100 prophets, including Ibrahim (Abraham), Yakub (Jacob), and Ishaq (Isaac), are in Palestine.          Tourist destinations in Palestine include the Mediterranean coast, the Jordan valley, the Dead Sea, the desert and its wilderness, mountains, over three thousand-year-old trees, the Battir Village's cultural landscape, the Church of Nativity and the pilgrimage route, and the old city of Jerusalem and its walls.          Despite the Israeli occupation, Palestine has been promoting its tourism attractions to draw tourists, including from Indonesia.          "We need more people to visit Palestine as you need to understand the real situation in the country, and it could help create more opportunities for greater cooperation, cultural development, and investments," the Ambassador of Palestine to Indonesia, Fariz N. Mehdawi stated at the Palestinian Tourism Seminar held in Jakarta on April 13.      During the seminar, the Palestinian representatives shed light on the country's tourist attractions, such as religious travel to the Holy Land, Jerusalem, culinary delicacies, beautiful handicrafts, annual festivals, experiential tourism, four seasons, and the landscape, as well as the way of living in Palestine.     The information was presented by representatives of the Palestinian tourism organization, including Elias S Deis from Network for Palestinian Tourism Organization, and Margo Tarazi of Holy Land Incoming Tour Operators Associations.        During the seminar, Ambassador Mehdawi invited all Indonesians to visit Palestine.       He remarked that cooperation in several sectors, including tourism, could strengthen bilateral relations and encourage economic growth in both countries.       The ambassador underlined that tourism can serve as a means to drive economic growth and to create jobs to improve the welfare of the society.          "We need to restore normalcy in Palestine. To this end, we need to create jobs. For creating jobs, we have to build a civilized society and establish a system of complete governance, among others," he remarked.       He affirmed that by visiting Palestine, the Indonesian people could demonstrate their solidarity with the Palestinians, who have been longing for freedom and peace.       Despite clashes in certain areas of Palestine, he pointed out that there are still several safe tourist areas in Palestine to visit, and that travel agents can direct visitors to these scenic places.        The ambassador also expressed his appreciation for the Indonesian and Japanese governments for organizing the Palestinian Tourism Seminar.      Meanwhile, Nia Niscaya, director of Market Development for Europe, Middle East, America and Africa at the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, encouraged travel agents to offer a comprehensive tour package to Palestine.       So far, a trip to Palestine is paired with a travel package to Umrah or a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.       "It turns out that Palestine not only has the Aqsa Mosque, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, but it also has many beautiful attractions that I have never seen before. I was only aware that it offered religious tourism, but now I know that it also has varied attractions," she noted after the seminar.       Moreover, Nia stated that as many as 80 thousand Indonesian people had traveled to Palestine in 2015, for religious and nature tourism.      As part of the Project for Sustainable Tourism Development funded through a public-private partnership, the Palestinian Tourism Seminar was organized jointly by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Palestine, the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.     "Indonesia and Japan encourage the development program in the tourism sector to support development in Palestine," Ministry of Foreign Affairs¿ Technical Cooperation Director, Siti Nugraha Mauludiah remarked during the seminar.    Siti expressed hope that the seminar on Palestinian tourism would also encourage a discussion about Palestinian and Indonesian efforts to develop tourism and antiquities in both countries.     In the meantime, the Japan International Corporation Agency's (JICA's) Senior Representative, Dinur Krismasari said the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and JICA are cooperating for a sustainable tourism development project through a public-private partnership in Palestine.          She said the main objective of the cooperation is to promote and develop sustainable tourism in Palestine, and to encourage tourism as a tool to improve the welfare of life.         Having the world's fourth largest population of over 250 million, made up mostly of Muslims and some Christians, Indonesia certainly is a huge potential market for Palestine's tourism. ***3*** (f001/INE) EDITED BY INE T.F001/A/BESSR/Suharto) 22-04-2016 00:29:57