JAKARTA — The Indonesian government, under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemlu RI), together with national philanthropic institutions, launched the Indonesia for Palestine campaign on February 26, 2025. Dompet Dhuafa was appointed as the secretariat for this joint campaign.
So, as a next step in strengthening solidarity and humanitarian action for Palestine, Dompet Dhuafa invited various zakat institutions and Indonesian humanitarian civil society organizations to a meeting at the Sasana Budaya Hall, Philanthropy Building, South Jakarta, Wednesday (03/26/2025). The meeting was an important momentum in building a support strategy for the people of Gaza amid a worsening situation after the ceasefire ended on March 18, 2025.
Based on the review of the Dompet Dhuafa Humanitarian Team in Palestine, the development of the situation in Palestine has returned to a dark point. After the ceasefire ended, Israel resumed intensive bomb attacks after previously tightening the blockade that hampered the entry of humanitarian aid. Thousands of civilians have again become victims, while the international community seems unable to stop the escalation of violence that has occurred.
The Chairperson of the Dompet Dhuafa Republika Foundation, Ahmad Juwaini, emphasized the importance of collaboration between zakat institutions, humanitarian organizations, and the government in providing effective assistance to the people of Gaza. He highlighted the message of the Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Muhammad Anis Matta, that these humanitarian agencies would be formed as a “Humanitarian Diplomacy Force” on the international stage.
He also said that Dompet Dhuafa was appointed as the secretariat of the Indonesian NGO for Palestine with several main functions:
- As a data and information center for Indonesian NGOs that help Palestine.
- Conduct joint campaigns and fundraising to help Palestine.
- Facilitate coordination, synergy, and collaboration between NGOs to support Palestine.
- Facilitate support and cooperation with various parties in helping Palestine.
- Facilitate and accelerate the process of delivering aid to Palestine.
“Synergy between philanthropic institutions is the main key in ensuring that aid can be channeled properly and have a real impact on our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” he said.
Read also: Knitting Solidarity for Palestine, Emergency Mosque Begins Operation in North Gaza
Meanwhile, the Director of the Middle East at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahrul Tsani Faturahman, online, conveyed the Indonesian government’s commitment to continue supporting the Palestinian struggle. He also emphasized the need for concrete follow-up from the secretariat of the Indonesian NGO for Palestine. The Indonesian government, through cooperation with Reavarious strategic partners, seeks to ensure that the assistance provided is not only in the form of emergency but also long-term in nature so as to be able to help the recovery of the affected people of Gaza.
The meeting was attended by more than 50 representatives from various zakat institutions and humanitarian organizations in Indonesia. In the discussion session, participants from various institutions discussed the various challenges faced in distributing aid to Gaza and solutions that can be taken to increase the effectiveness of aid programs.
The discussion covered several main points, such as strategies for optimizing aid in conditions of blockade, humanitarian diplomacy efforts to facilitate access to aid in conflict areas, and the use of technology to speed up aid distribution. In addition, the importance of the role of the Indonesian people in supporting the Palestinian struggle through donations, education, and awareness campaigns on social media was also discussed.
Wildan Dewayana, Chairperson of the Forum Zakat (FOZ), expressed his opinion on the Indonesian NGO Secretariat Forum for Palestine. According to him, this forum will be a great strength for the Indonesian people to help Palestine. Moreover, the appointment of Dompet Dhuafa as its secretariat is very appropriate.
“I think it is very appropriate that Dompet Dhuafa was appointed as the Secretariat of Indonesian NGOs for Palestine. With its diverse experience and work in the humanitarian world, we are confident that this forum will be a great force of the Indonesian people for Palestine,” he said.
Read also: Palestinians Receive Donor Aid from Dompet Dhuafa: Ramadan Parcels to Sahur and Iftar Meals
Atu Yudhistira Indarto, Representative of the Directorate of Human Rights and Humanity of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was the speaker and moderator of the discussion session. He again invited all participants to continue to increase awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. He then explained some of the plans that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will carry out to provide assistance to Palestine. It is very possible for humanitarian agencies to also follow these plans in sending aid.
In addition to what has already been done through Egypt, in Jordan, there are NGOs under the government that can be collaborated with in sending aid to Palestine. Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicated with the Turkish government and NGOs there to discuss the scheme and flow of aid to enter Palestine.
“We already have entry points for aid to Palestine. We just need to discuss further how we can gather aid from the Indonesian people so that it can be channeled through these entry points and reach our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” he said.
Collaboration between various elements of society is considered an important step in ensuring that the assistance provided can be sustainable and provide long-term benefits for Palestine. NGOs also believe they can reach the fundraising target of USD 200 million or the equivalent of IDR 3.27 trillion in a joint campaign. The funds will be allocated for various urgent needs, including the provision of health services, food assistance, and infrastructure development, including mosques damaged by the prolonged conflict.
The next step from the results of this meeting is to develop a concrete action plan, including international advocacy strategies, broader fundraising, and more efficient and measurable aid distribution mechanisms.
The participants also agreed that humanitarian solidarity for Palestine must be maintained and improved, both in the form of financial and logistical support, as well as diplomacy. With a spirit of togetherness, hopefully aid from Indonesia can continue to benefit the Palestinian people who are struggling to defend their rights in the midst of a challenging situation. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika