Palestinian Ambassador Expresses Gratitude for Indonesia’s Unwavering Support for Palestine
Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia His Excellency Abdalfatah AK Alsattari Saturday (09/19) extended his deep appreciation and gratitude for Indonesia’s unwavering support for Palestine.
The statement was conveyed after the Ambassador attended the reception marking the 100th anniversary of Darussalam Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School (PMDG) in Ponorogo regency, East Java province.
His Excellency Abdalfatah AK Alsattari said he had felt Indonesia’s strong support for Palestine since arriving in the country eight months earlier.
He noted that concern for Palestine has been voiced not only by President Prabowo Subianto, but also by Indonesian leaders and people from various segments of society.
“Since I arrived in Indonesia eight months ago, I have felt tremendous support for Palestine. This is not the first time the President has addressed the situation in Palestine. In various remarks, he and other Indonesian leaders have spoken about Palestine,” Abdalfatah stated.
The atmosphere at Gontor became even more meaningful for him when Palestine was mentioned in President Prabowo Subianto’s remarks and met with thunderous applause from the audience.
At that moment, His Excellency Abdalfatah AK Alsattari approached the President and draped a Palestinian keffiyeh around the President’s neck as a gesture of respect and gratitude.
“I am overjoyed when I saw that he was present, and I decided to give him a Palestinian kefiyyeh, to thank him [the President],” he stated.
According to the Ambassador, the keffiyyeh is more than merely a cultural object or symbol; it carries the history, memory, and struggle of the Palestinian people.
The Ambassador further described the gift as an expression of gratitude to President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian people for their continuing support. His embrace with the President also left a deep emotional impression, as the Ambassador said it made him feel that the Palestinian people were not facing their struggle alone.
“I probably cried afterward because, when I hugged him, I felt that we were not alone. Indonesia stands with Palestine, and my people are not alone in Gaza and the West Bank,” he added.
The Ambassador expressed hope that the Indonesian people, particularly students and the Gontor community, would continue to show sustained concern for the situation facing the Palestinian people. He also expressed appreciation for the continued support shown by Indonesian universities, the wider public, and the media.
Indonesia’s support for Palestinian independence and sovereignty is a consistent and official component of its foreign policy.
His Excellency Abdalfatah AK Alsattari further left a simple request for the Indonesian people: to pray for his homeland and its people.
“We only need one thing from the Indonesian people: prayers. [Please pray] for my people, for my country, and for our struggle. And we will meet together in Palestine,” he concluded. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (NST/MEP)
