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Palestinians hope Indonesian support remains alive
Mahmoud took part in the demonstration with mixed feelings of anger and gratitude; not a single day passes without the death of his people, and now Indonesians are joining forces to demand a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
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A woman gestures on May 31, 2024, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta. JP/Salman M. Vermonte (JP/Salman M. Vermonte)
A
mong the pro-Palestine protesters who flocked to the United States embassy in Jakarta over the weekend was Mahmoud A., a Palestinian citizen who has lived in Indonesia for the past twelve years.
He took part in the demonstration with mixed feelings of anger and gratitude; not a single day passes without the death of his people, and now Indonesians are joining forces to demand a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
“Every day, we see a real genocide in Gaza. There is no safe zone there. What is happening now is the real reaction from the people, from Indonesians,” Mahmoud said on the sidelines of the protest on Saturday.
He hoped the support would remain alive until justice was served for the Palestinians.
“Thank God a lot of people came to the protest. If Indonesia does not have this continuous support for Palestine, the issue will die,” Mahmoud went on.
Draped in kaffiyeh, a traditional head scarf worn in Palestine, flocks of Indonesians expressed their exasperation in a two-day protest in front of the US embassy building. Since Indonesia lacks official diplomatic relations with Israel, many chose to channel their outrage toward its key ally.
Nearing eight months since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 35,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.
