US-Israel–Iran War Heats Up, DPR Urges Government to Prepare 2026 Hajj Scenario

Jakarta, VIVA – The Chair of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Marwan Dasopang, has urged the government to prepare a contingency plan for Hajj departures in 2026, noting that the conflict between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran is intensifying. Although Commission VIII has not formally discussed the matter yet due to the current recess, Marwan emphasised the importance of early anticipatory steps. ‘The steps that could be taken may involve various alternatives. On the safest side, cancelling the pilgrimage altogether because the escalation cannot be predicted. But from a religious and psychological perspective, that could be quite burdensome,’ he said. He added that Hajj departures could be cancelled if the situation in the Middle East worsens. Marwan urged the government to ensure that pilgrims’ funds already deposited with service providers in Saudi Arabia are not lost. ‘Our government should persuade the service providers to ensure that what has already been paid is not lost. What percentage of force majeure should apply—that is what we want to push for—to ensure that the obligations already paid are not all lost,’ he explained. Besides cancellation risk, Marwan also highlighted a scenario where the conflict escalates while pilgrims are already in the Holy Land and face difficulties returning home. The Commission VIII of the DPR plans to use the brief window after recess ends on 10 March 2026 to coordinate with the government.