Indonesia is ready to take shelter temporarily, the Palestinians affected by the war in Gaza, said yesterday the president of the country, while he was starting a diplomatic tour in the Middle East and in Türkiye.
Addressing the press, Prabowo Subianto said that he had asked his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, to immediately discuss evacuation plans with the Palestinian authorities.
“We are ready to evacuate those who are injured or traumatized, and orphans, if they want to be evacuated to Indonesia, and we are ready to send planes to transport them,” said Prabowo, according to Associated Press.
The Indonesian chief said that around 1,000 people could be accepted in the initial wave of evacuated, stressing that they would remain in Indonesia until they have completely recovered from their injuries and that the situation in Gaza is sure for their return.
“Indonesia’s commitment to support the security of the Palestinians and their independence prompted our government to act more actively,” added Prabowo.
Prabowo spoke before taking a flight to Abu Dhabi, the first stop in a week-long visit to the Middle East which also includes stops in Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan. He said the goal of the trip was to demonstrate the will of Indonesia to help alleviate the Gaza crisis and that it would consult the evacuations planned with these countries.
Indonesia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, has expressed vocal support for the Palestinian cause since the start of the war and denounced the ruthless attacks of Israel against Gaza. In the immediate wake of Hamas attacks which started the current conflict, it called to An “immediate end of violence” and said that “the root of the conflict, namely the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, must be resolved, in accordance with the parameters agreed by the UN”
Indonesia has also expressed strong opposition to any permanent relocation of Gaza Palestinians, as indicated by the recent proposal from US President Donald Trump for the United States to take control of the territory and transform it into a “Middle East Riviera”. After Trump broadcast the idea at an oval office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Indonesia Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that he “firmly rejects any attempt to force the Palestinians.”
The way in which this last commitment is stimulated by his desire to temporarily house Palestinian refugees remains uncertain. Given the increasingly aggressive approach of Israel to “solve” the Gaza problem, which strikes the open advocacy of ethnic cleaning, it is not clear when the territory could be sure enough to allow the evacués to return, if necessary.
Interior political considerations, in particular, generalized public support for the Palestinian cause, oblige Prabowo to defend the inhabitants of Gaza in one way or another. Before taking office in October, Prabowo was ready to send peacekeeping troops to Gaza if necessary. At the same time, given the situation in Gaza, it is not difficult to imagine that a temporary situation could become permanent.