Palestinian Ambassador Moved by Support from Indonesian President and People
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdalfateral A.K. Alsattari, expressed his profound emotion and appreciation for the strong support shown by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian people towards the Palestinian struggle, as cries of ‘Free Palestine’ echoed through Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, East Java, on Saturday.
“Since I arrived in Indonesia eight months ago, I have begun to feel immense support for Palestine, and this is not the first time the President has addressed the situation in Palestine,” said Ambassador Abdalfatah following his attendance at the 100th Anniversary Thanksgiving Reception of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor (PMDG), as quoted from a press release by the BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat, Jakarta.
In his speech during the centenary event of the Gontor Islamic Boarding School, President Prabowo Subianto repeatedly called out “Free Palestine,” which was followed by the entire audience.
Prabowo also expressed his deep concern regarding the condition of the Palestinian people, who are facing occupation and bombardment by Israel. He noted that attention towards the situation in Palestine continues to be voiced by various leaders and layers of Indonesian society.
The atmosphere of the commemoration in Ponorogo became even more significant when the name of Palestine was mentioned in President Prabowo’s address, met with thunderous applause from the attendees.
During this moment, Ambassador Abdalfatah approached President Prabowo and presented him with a Palestinian keffiyeh as a form of respect and a direct expression of gratitude.
“I felt very happy to see him present, and I decided to give him the Palestinian keffiyeh to thank him,” he said.
According to Abdalfatah, the keffiyeh is not merely a cultural symbol, but carries the memory of the history and the unceasing struggle of the Palestinian people.
The warm moment of embracing President Prabowo also left a deep emotional impression on the senior Palestinian diplomat.
“I may have cried after that because when I embraced him, I felt that we are not alone. Indonesia stands with Palestine, and my people are not alone in Gaza and the West Bank,” he revealed.
To the Indonesian people, particularly the students (santri) and the extended family of PMDG, he expressed his hope that concern for the plight of the Palestinian people remains consistent.
He also expressed appreciation for the ongoing support coming from the academic community, all layers of society, and the mass media in Indonesia.
In closing, Abdalfatrah shared a simple request with the Indonesian people: to continue providing prayers for the struggle and independence of his people.