Speak boldly, Indonesia: The Jakarta Post

Asia News Network

3 days ago

August 8, 2025
JAKARTA – Indonesia must stop hedging its position on the prolonged war in Gaza and speak with greater moral clarity in support of the Palestinian cause.
At a time when the global tide is shifting, slowly but surely, toward justice for the Palestinian people, Indonesia cannot afford to dilute its voice or hide behind humanitarian gestures that ring hollow in light of the ongoing devastation.
The government's pledge to send 10,000 tons of rice to Gaza may appear generous on paper, but without access to reliable distribution channels, electricity or clean water, such aid risks being more symbolic than substantive.
Worse, it sends the wrong signal: that Indonesia, a country without de facto access to Gaza's borders, is more interested in the optics of helping than in confronting the underlying causes of Palestinian suffering.
What is even more concerning is the recent trend of Indonesia aligning itself with diplomatic language that mimics the talking points of Israel's Western allies: condemning the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, as part of a broader United Nations statement, the purpose of which seemed mere angling to break a deadlock.
For a country that has long championed the Palestinian struggle as part of its post-colonial identity and constitutional values, this marks an unmistakable step backward. Rather than reaffirming our leadership on the issue, we now sound like we are playing catch-up.
This timidity comes at a time when even some of Israel's staunchest allies, France, the United Kingdom, Canada and others, have moved to pledge recognition of Palestinian statehood. These declarations, though not without their flaws, are signs of a turning tide.
Indonesia should be riding this wave, not trailing behind it. Instead of echoing positions crafted in Washington, Paris, New York or Brussels, we should be making the case that the world is finally coming around to where Indonesia has always stood.
President Prabowo Subianto must seize his upcoming address at the UN General Assembly next month to make Indonesia's stance unambiguous. The world does not need another lukewarm call for peace or vague endorsement of a two-state solution.
It needs a firm statement of principles: that Indonesia opposes the ongoing displacement of Palestinians, rejects any normalization of ties with Israel while the occupation continues and supports Palestinian statehood as an urgent, non-negotiable priority.
Unfortunately, some of Prabowo's past overtures, such as expressing willingness to take in displaced Gazans, have already been weaponized by Israeli media to argue that Indonesia supports the removal of Palestinians from their homeland.
This cannot stand. Indonesia must send a clear message: there is no solution that involves the forced removal of Palestinians, no humanitarian gesture that justifies ethnic cleansing.
Failure to do so will not only erode our credibility abroad but also fuel suspicion at home. Public support here for Palestine's independence remains overwhelming.
The mass rallies in Jakarta and other cities in support of Palestine are proof of that. If the government continues to send mixed signals, it risks igniting popular backlash and undermining public trust.
There is no denying that Indonesia must weigh its national interests, including its bid for OECD membership and broader diplomatic goals. But such ambitions must not come at the expense of our moral compass.
If anything, Indonesia's strength on the global stage lies in its ability to lead with conviction, not ambiguity.
If President Prabowo believes in decisive action, now is the time to act. He could, for instance, make a direct and urgent appeal to Israel's military leadership, instead of its political class, to exercise restraint and prevent further occupation of Gaza.
Such a gesture, however symbolic, would reaffirm Indonesia's alignment with those inside Israel and beyond who still seek a just peace.
The war in Gaza has exposed the failures of the current world order, but it has also revealed where new moral alliances are forming. Indonesia should be at the forefront of this realignment. Not whispering from the sidelines, but speaking firmly for what is right.