REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAKASSAR -- The Indonesian government will always support Palestine's struggle for independence despite foreign pressure calling for Indonesia not to side with Palestine, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said.

"Indonesia will always side with Palestine," Kalla said, after receiving a medal of merit from Muhammadiyah University (Unismuh) in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province, on Friday.

Although support for Palestine's struggle for independence poured in, the Palestinian people must be united to fight against the Israeli aggression, he stated.

Also read: World leaders must unite to liberate Palestine: ICMI

He noted that the longstanding conflict between Hamas and Fatah will make it difficult for Palestine to gain independence. 

"We continue to support their (struggle for) independence, provided that the rivalry between the two conflicting camps must be settled and they must be united," he remarked.

The longstanding conflict between Hamas and Fatah has led to a civil war in Palestine. As a result of the conflict, the Palestinian territory has de facto been divided into Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, and the West Bank controlled by Fatah.

The recent Israeli attack, which targeted civil settlement and the Al Aqsa Mosque, has worsened Palestine's struggle for independence.

More than 100 Palestinians were injured by Israeli tear gas and grenade attacks as they visited a local mosque on July 27.

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