Thousands of Indonesians took to the streets in Jakarta on Sunday to protest against Israel’s attack on Gaza and call on President Joe Biden to stop supporting the ongoing violence. The protesters, predominantly dressed in white and black with traditional Palestine scarves, gathered outside the US Embassy chanting slogans such as Gaza, Gaza don’t you cry, Palestine will never die. They carried Palestinian flags and banners with messages like Stop Genocide and Ceasefire Now.
The rally was organized by more than a dozen Islamic mass organizations, who strongly condemned the United States’ support for Israel and its recent veto against a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations Security Council. Nazar Haris, a member of the Islamic mass organization council, demanded that President Joe Biden and the US government stop the war crimes. He characterized Palestine as the spirit and soul of Indonesians and expressed opposition to the actions of America and Israel.
During the demonstration, some protesters held mock-ups of deceased Palestinian children to depict the devastating impact of the conflict. Others used red-painted hands as a symbol of the atrocities committed by Israeli forces. The protesters also urged the Indonesian government to file a case against the Israeli leadership at the International Criminal Court and withdraw the Indonesian ambassador to the US to express their objection to Washington’s support for Tel Aviv.
Nurjannah Hulwan, the head of the KPIPA women’s coalition, emphasized the need for global humanity and Muslim solidarity with Palestine. She stated, Today we ask countries around the world, where is your humanity? As long as Palestine is not free, Indonesia still carries a debt. Indonesia has long been a staunch supporter of Palestine, considering Palestinian statehood as mandated by the nation’s constitution, which advocates for the abolition of colonialism.
Ahmad Heryawan, another member of the Islamic mass organization council, hailed the demonstrators as representatives of Indonesia standing up for Palestine. He affirmed their commitment to fight until Palestine attains independence. Parallel to the rally outside the US Embassy, another protest occurred at the National Monument complex in Jakarta.
This demonstration adds to a series of large-scale protests across Indonesia since the commencement of Israel’s deadly attack in October. The civilian death toll in Gaza has been alarmingly high, with approximately 61 percent of casualties in the first three weeks of Tel Aviv’s offensive. A study published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz highlighted that this proportion is significantly higher than the average in conflicts worldwide during the 20th century.
One protesting individual, Ahmad Zaky Qolbuddin, characterized Israel’s actions as genocide rather than acts of war. He compared it to Indonesia’s constitutional principle of abolishing all forms of colonialism and expressed solidarity with Palestine.
By demonstrating their unwavering support for Palestine, the Indonesian people send a clear message to the international community. They demand an end to the war crimes committed against Palestinians and call for a just resolution to the conflict. As the protest organizers emphasize Palestine’s significance to their nation’s spirit and principles, they continue their fight for Palestinian independence.
