The Indonesian proverb, "Anjing menggonggong khalifah berlalu" (A dog barks as the caravan passes), perfectly describes the relationship between Arab leaders and Netanyahu, a leader Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has likened to German Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel is escalating its ethnic cleansing operation to drive Palestinians from their land and their homes in Gaza and, soon, the West Bank.

The OIC summit came on the heels of the United Nations’ overwhelming support for a declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and implementation of the two-state solution last Friday. Of 193 UN member states, 142, including Indonesia, voted in favor of the resolution, which says the war in Gaza "must end now" and supports the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission mandated by the UN Security Council.

Leaders turned up for the Doha summit to show support for Qatar after Israel’s recent strike on a Hamas meeting in the city, which is a clear violation of international law and centuries-old diplomatic norms. While they condemned "aggression" against Qatar, the Gaza Strip and other regional states, their statement lacked any concrete plans for action.

Many Arab nations, in reality, are hesitant to fully support the Palestinian cause because they fear Iran, a predominantly Shia nation, more than Israel. This anxiety has led some, like the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, to sign the United States-sponsored Abraham Accords with Israel.

Foreign Minister Sugiono represented President Prabowo Subianto at the OIC summit. Three days before the meeting, the President had visited Qatar to meet with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. At the summit, Sugiono affirmed Indonesia's stance, stating, "We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Qatar, with Palestine and with all nations that uphold international law and humanity."

Netanyahu’s actions appear unstoppable, largely because he has the popular support. A recent Haaretz survey showed that a significant majority of Israeli Jews, 63 percent, support the expulsion of Arab Israelis, and 87 percent favor the total expulsion of Palestinians from occupied Gaza. In an even more horrifying finding, 53 percent of respondents agreed with the killing of anyone in a conquered enemy city.

With US President Donald Trump seemingly giving Israel a "fully blank check" to act as it wishes, the situation for Palestinians is dire. The unimaginable horrors are expected to continue for the duration of Trump’s term, which ends in January 2029.

While it may be difficult, Netanyahu has been listed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, placing him alongside figures like Vladimir Putin of Russia, Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, offering a small glimmer of hope for justice. Arresting Netanyahu will be extremely difficult, as his foreign trips are primarily to the White House. However, it remains one of the few possibilities for him to face imprisonment in The Hague.

Indonesia, the largest member of the OIC, has consistently championed the cause of a free and sovereign Palestinian state for decades, rooting its foreign policy in the principles of the 1945 Constitution, which mandates the abolition of colonialism.

The persistence appears to be yielding results, as the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state on the sidelines of the high-level UN General Assembly next week, following a path Indonesia took 37 years ago.

Indonesia may have limited leverage with regard to the Palestine issue. Nevertheless, as President Prabowo is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly next week, it is his obligation to reaffirm Indonesia's long-standing support for an independent Palestine, no matter how routine the message may seem.