Indonesian president chants ‘Free Palestine’ after earlier voicing support for Israel’s security

Subianto raised the possibility of Indonesia establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, conditional on moves toward a Palestinian state.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto chanted “Free Palestine” during a speech in East Java marking the 100th anniversary of the Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor Ponorogo Islamic boarding school, while calling for Indonesia to strengthen itself in response to continued attacks against Palestinians.

“The continuing attacks against Palestinians should encourage Indonesia to build its national strength,” Prabowo said in Saturday’s speech, according to Indonesia’s Antara news agency.

Palestinian Ambassador Abdulfattah A.K. Al-Sattari attended the event and presented the Indonesian president with a keffiyeh.

Prabowo’s remarks follow previous statements in which he encouraged recognition of Israel’s security needs.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in 2025, Prabowo said the international community must “recognize,” “respect,” and “guarantee the safety and security of Israel,” adding that “only then can we have real peace.” He ended that address with “shalom.”

The president of the world’s largest Muslim-majority country was also rumored to be considering a visit to Israel following the hostage release deal last October. Prabowo denied the reports, citing his support for the Palestinian people.

He has separately raised the possibility of Indonesia establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, while making such a move conditional on Israel taking tangible steps toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Saudi Arabia has expressed a similar condition for normalization.

Indonesia has also committed to participating in postwar security efforts in Gaza. It was among the first countries to pledge personnel for the International Stabilization Force, saying it had trained 20,000 troops for the mission.

Saturday’s appearance in East Java placed Prabowo’s support for the Palestinians at the center of his address, with the Indonesian leader joining the “Free Palestine” chant and receiving the keffiyeh from the Palestinian ambassador.