Bekasi, MINA – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to evacuate civilians from Gaza has been acknowledged by officials as a heartfelt humanitarian gesture, yet it carries complex political implications, with concerns it may be perceived as inadvertently aiding Israeli and US interests in depopulating the territory.
Speaking at an international seminar marking 70 years since the landmark Asian-African Conference, Rizal Al Huda, Deputy Director for Middle East Affairs at Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry, acknowledged the complexities surrounding the initiative.
“We recognise the sensitivity. A well-intentioned humanitarian effort could be misconstrued as facilitating Israel and America’s aim of emptying Gaza,” Rizal said
The seminar, titled “Stop the Genocide: Asia-Africa Solidarity for Palestinian Liberation”, brought together diplomats, scholars, and activists from across the region.
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While the Indonesian government is still deliberating the proposal, Rizal believed that President Prabowo’s motivation came from a deep moral and humanitarian concern. “This is a sincere initiative to alleviate human suffering. The President is listening carefully to public sentiment and weighing all factors.”
He also noted that the idea of humanitarian evacuation is not new. When Prabowo served as Minister of Defense, he had expressed similar concerns, and in the early stages of the conflict, countries such as Malaysia had also offered medical care to Palestinian victims.
The proposal, while not new, comes at a time of increasing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Rizal noted that Prabowo had previously raised similar concerns during his tenure as Defence Minister.
“At the time, it wasn’t feasible. But today, with the crisis in Gaza worsening, the idea is being revisited. Any decision will be made in consultation with global leaders, Indonesian stakeholders, and most importantly, with the consent of the Palestinian authorities.” Rizal added
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, is awaiting further instructions and the outcome of diplomatic consultations.
“We are confident President Prabowo will take into account the voices of the Indonesian people,” Rizal said.
The seminar was organised by the Aqsa Working Group and STAI Al-Fatah Bogor, and featured speakers including the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Dr. Zuhair SM Al-Shun, Islamic scholar Imam Yakhsyallah Mansur, Malaysian academic Dr. Ahmed Abdul Malik, and representatives from civil society groups advocating for Palestinian rights such as AWG Chairman M. Anshorullah, ISMES advisor Prof. M. Hamdan Basyar, MINA senior editor Rifa Berliana Arifin, and CEO of Friends of Palestine Indonesia Rayyan Abdallah.
The event highlighted not only the urgency of the Gaza crisis, but also the enduring role of Asia-Africa solidarity in confronting colonialism, injustice, and oppression, a spirit rooted in the 1955 Bandung Conference that continues to resonate across the Global South. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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