Middle East Conflict Escalates; Parliament Urges Government to Prioritise Pilgrimage Safety

Jakarta — A member of Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament (DPR), Lisda Hendrajoni, has urged the government to prioritise the safety of Hajj pilgrims in 2026 amid escalating conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

“We must recognise that global conditions, particularly the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, could impact various aspects of the management of the Hajj, including flight routes and the security of pilgrims’ travel,” said Lisda on Monday, 16 March 2026.

According to her, the government must urgently prepare risk mitigation measures from the outset regarding these issues.

Previously, during a working meeting between Commission VIII of the DPR and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, three scenarios for managing Indonesia’s Hajj pilgrimage in 2026 were presented in relation to the Middle East conflict.

The first scenario involves proceeding with the Hajj as planned, with the possibility of diverting flight routes to safer corridors if security conditions in certain regions do not permit the use of standard routes.