JAKARTA — Solidarity for Palestine is growing stronger. In collaboration with the Al Ikhlas Mosque Foundation (YMAI), Dompet Dhuafa organized a Collaborative Meeting for Palestine at Al Ikhlas Mosque in Cipete, South Jakarta, following Friday prayers (1/12/2023).
Initiated with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, the meeting continued with speeches by Bambang Wijayanto, the Chairman of YMAI, and Haryo Mojopahit, the GM of Communication & Strategic Alliances at Dompet Dhuafa.
“Reviving a sense of humanity is crucial for us. Let’s focus on what we can do for our brothers and sisters there. By uniting our steps and fostering unity and care, we can make a positive difference,” Bambang Wijayanto elaborated.
Haryo Mojopahit welcomed this approach, highlighting that the synergy in solidarity for Palestine aims to keep the concern for our brothers and sisters in Gaza alive in the homeland. This is the message we wish to amplify.
“In the long term, we are aiming for two outcomes. Firstly, the normalization of relations with Israel by various countries, which unfortunately sidelines the Palestinian struggle. Secondly, we aim to pressure European countries, whose societies are being urged to defend Palestine, disturbing those who support Israel with this solidarity action,” Haryo clarified.
“In the short term, our focus is on providing emergency aid to Palestine. We are grateful to YMAI for their partnership in strengthening this bond of goodness,” he added.
Baca juga: Sinergi dengan TNI AL, Dompet Dhuafa Kirim Bantuan Kemanusiaan untuk Palestina Lewat Jalur Laut
Arif Rahmadi, the Chief of the Disaster Management Center (DMC) and a delegate of Dompet Dhuafa-Indonesian Humanitarian Alliance (IHA) currently in Egypt, also provided a direct update on the distribution of aid for Palestine during the meeting.
Despite the arrival of aid in Rafah, Arif reported that the supplies are accumulating in the southern region, making it challenging to distribute them evenly to the northern region, primarily due to Israel’s fuel blockade.
“The most recent update we received today is that Israel has terminated the ceasefire, and air strikes have resumed. This is in contrast to last night’s information, which suggested that the ceasefire would be extended for two more days, yet Israel has once again breached this agreement,” Arif recounted.
Baca juga: Ceritakan Pedihnya Kondisi Gaza, Dompet Dhuafa dan Husein Gaza Kuatkan KolaborAksi Bantu Palestina
“Currently, only 30 percent of the incoming aid meets the needs of Gaza’s residents. Moreover, Gaza is now facing winter conditions, with temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius. The primary focus areas for aid are food, water sanitation, hygiene packages for women, and medical supplies,” he further detailed.
“Dompet Dhuafa has facilitated the delivery of donor aid, dispatching 11 trucks from Cairo to Gaza, totaling 176 tons of food, medical supplies, water, and winter equipment. We are also working to expedite aid delivery through coordination with government agencies and the Indonesian Embassy in Egypt,” Arif stated.
Furthermore, Ustaz Hilmi Firdausi, in his recitation, emphasized that Palestine is the only independent Arab country. He also recounted the lives of Prophet Ibrahim peace be upon him and his family, up to Prophet Jesus peace be upon him and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
“In the past, there were four Jewish tribes in Medina, who later expressed a desire to return. The deceit of the Jews has been a recurring theme,” he noted.
“What can we do from Indonesia? It’s time for us to ‘strike back’ by seizing their narrative through #JulidFiSabilillah, which has already gone viral on social media. Let’s offer our prayers and best donations,” Ustaz Hilmi urged.
He also reflected on the profound wisdom of this event, which has opened the eyes of the global community to the resilience of the Palestinian people. God willing, victory is drawing nearer.
The Collaborative Meeting series concluded with the presentation of a donation for Palestine, totaling IDR 103,630,528 from YMAI, facilitated through Dompet Dhuafa. (Dompet Dhuafa/Dhika Prabowo)