AWG Presidium: Supporting Gaza Is Defending Al-Aqsa and Muslim Dignity

Jakarta, MINA – Rifa Berliana Arifin, Presidium Member of the Aqsa Working Group (AWG), emphasized that supporting the people of Gaza is not only a humanitarian effort but also a defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the dignity of the Muslim ummah.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar and exhibition titled “Semangat Gaza untuk Bela Masjid Al-Aqsa” (“Gaza’s Spirit to Defend Al-Aqsa”) on Thursday in Jakarta, Rifa stated that Al-Aqsa holds deep religious and symbolic significance for Muslims worldwide.

“This is not just a theme, it’s a call to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are fighting to protect Al-Aqsa, the first qibla and one of the holiest sites in Islam,” he said.

He added that the continued occupation and desecration of Al-Aqsa is an attack on Muslim identity and honor, and that the resilience of Gazans should serve as an example of courage and determination.

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The event, held at the Hans Bague Jassin Auditorium in the Taman Ismail Marzuki complex, also featured a photo exhibition on Palestine, a screening of the documentary “Farewell to the Arms”, and a panel discussion with national and international speakers.

Among the speakers were Ahrul Tsani Fathurrahman (Director of Middle East Affairs, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), KH. Yakhsyallah Mansur (AWG Advisor), Dr. Ahed Abu Al-Atta (Chairman of the Palestinian Support Foundation), and Prof. Yon Machmudi (Head of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, University of Indonesia).

AWG was established in 2008 following the Al-Aqsa International Conference in Jakarta, with a mission to mobilize support for the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian independence.

Rifa concluded by calling on Muslims to remain actively engaged in the Palestinian cause through moral, advocacy, and material support.[]

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)