Wearing all-white clothing and Palestinian attributes, thousands of people held a demonstration in front of the United States Embassy in Jakarta to urge an immediate end to the massacre and genocide carried out by Israel against the people of Gaza. White papers with the words “Stop Genocide, Never Normalize With Israel” and “Long Live The Resistance” were paraded by the masses in the demonstration.
The leader of the action, Muhammad Zaitun Rasmin, said that this action was done to invite all Indonesian people who have a conscience and desire for peace to continue to move, at least to speak out so that the massacre by Israel is stopped immediately. Especially after the assassination of the leader of the Hamas group, Ismail Haniyeh, in Teheran, Iran, Tuesday (30/7), he said.
“So this is a very dangerous bell for the world. If the world allows the Zionists to continue to commit genocide, the massacre of the people of Gaza in Palestine and their leaders, then it is possible that this will trigger a third world war. And a third world war could destroy even more people,” he said.
The demonstrators also asked the Indonesian government to implement the consensus issued by the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to, together with Islamic countries and those who care about humanity, initiate the sending of military aid to Palestine.
Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid, who was also present at the action, condemned the killing of the Head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, who was a figure who was highly trusted by a number of countries such as Qatar and Egypt to negotiate bringing peace to Palestine.
“If the world community wants peace, then it is time for them to open their eyes that Israel is the one who does not want peace. The real proof is that not only did they commit crimes in Gaza, but they even killed a central figure who was very trusted to conduct negotiations,” said Hidayat Nur Wahid.
He said countries that normalize with Israel under the pretext of “peace” must be fully aware that Israel does not actually want peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state in the context of a two-state solution.
Paris, Baghdad and Sanaa Also Hit by Demonstrations
Similar demonstrations also took place in Paris, France; Baghdad, Iraq; and Sanaa, Yemen.
Abdelali Mebarki, one of the demonstrators in Paris, demanded that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ban Israeli athletes from competing, as the IOC banned Russian athletes after the country attacked Ukraine.
“I think Israel should not be involved in the Olympics because the IOC has previously banned Russia from participating. Why is Israel allowed? Israel has committed the biggest genocide in the world. This is clearly a double standard. This is unacceptable to us. Why is everyone turning a blind eye. Even France is not saying anything. So we are taking to the streets to show that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sanaa resident Mohammad Al Qaeli said he joined the demonstration because he wanted to protest the 10-month-long Israel-Hamas war, and urged that August 3 be made a special day to support Gaza.
Israeli PM Unmoved
However, Israel appears unmoved.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday (4/8), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the fight against terrorism will continue around the clock.” He even warned Iran that Israel is “prepared for any scenario, in terms of defense and attack.”
Observer: Haniyeh's Death Will Have Wide-Ranging Impact
International Relations observer at Diponegoro University Mohamad Rosyidin said Haniyeh's death in Tehran, a day after he attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian, would have a negative impact on the prospects for peace in the Middle East because it openly dragged Iran into direct confrontation with Israel.
“This will actually close the door to peace, worsening the situation in the region. Moreover, other parties are involved so that this conflict will not only escalate but will become multi-front because the fighting is not only in Gaza,” he said.
Tensions have been running high as the nearly 10-month-long Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza rages on, and the killing of two senior Hamas figures in separate attacks in Lebanon and Iran last week. The killings have prompted threats of retaliation from Iran and its allies, and raised fears of an even more devastating war in the region. (fw/em)
