Foreign Minister: Palestinian Evacuation to Indonesia Needs More Dialogue

April 11, 2025 | 01:31 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Foreign Minister Sugiono stated that President Prabowo Subianto will convey the plan to evacuate citizens from Gaza, Palestine, to Indonesia during his visit to several Middle Eastern countries. Prabowo will consult on efforts to assist Palestinians.

''All interested parties, including Palestine, must agree to the proposal and welcome the willingness. Therefore, the president is visiting for a preparation consultation,'' Sugiono said in Turkey, as observed through the President's Secretariat YouTube, on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Sugiono said the results of the consultations with several countries will be the Indonesian government's final decision on evacuating Gazans. The evacuation mechanism will be based on that joint decision. ''The exact mechanism will be determined based on how the Consultation turns out," he said.

Nevertheless, Sugiono stated that the Indonesian government is ready to evacuate Palestinians when requested. The evacuation is intended to assist Gazans facing numerous problems.

''We are ready to accommodate Gazans who need to be evacuated, including the injured, orphans, traumatized children, and students,'' he said.

He also emphasized that the evacuation was not forced and not intended to permanently relocate the Gazans to Indonesia. If conditions improve, they will return to Gaza.

''Everyone must agree. So, do not frame it as a permanent Gaza relocation. But to assist our Gaza brothers, orphaned children there,'' he said.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto intended to evacuate 1,000 Gazans to Indonesia. He departed for five Middle Eastern countries, namely the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan, to seek support.

Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia will carry out the plan if it receives a green light from all parties, including countries currently actively aiding Palestinians in Gaza.

''The conditions are that all parties must agree to this. Secondly, they are here temporarily until they recover, and when they are healthy again, if conditions in Gaza permit, they must return to their homeland. I think that is the Indonesian government's stance. Therefore, I have to consult with the leaders of those areas,'' President Prabowo said during a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase, Jakarta, before departing to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on early Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

Indonesia has sent aid in the form of food, medical supplies, medicines, clothing, and clean water to the people of Palestine in Gaza. Distribution is through Egypt as well as direct air drops in cooperation with the Jordanian Air Force. Indonesia has also sent its hospital ship, KRI Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat, to dock for several months in El Arish and to treat casualties of war from Gaza.

Earlier, Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Anwar Abbas questioned President Prabowo Subianto's idea of planning to accommodate Palestinians from Gaza to Indonesia.

Anwar felt surprised, considering the plan to relocate Palestinian residents out of Gaza was an idea supported by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel.

Anwar brought up the issue of Israel and the U.S.'s desire to evacuate Gaza so that Israel could occupy and control the territory more freely. Thus, Anwar clarified, Israel could relocate its citizens to the occupied Gaza.

Anwar expressed concern that in due course, Gaza would become part of Greater Israel, which the U.S. and Israel have long aspired to. For example, he referred to what happened in Jerusalem.

Savero Aristia Wienanto contributed to this report.

Editor's Choice: MUI Questions Prabowo's Plan to Evacuate Gaza Residents to Indonesia

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