- President Prabowo’s plan to temporarily evacuate Palestinians, with the assurance that they will return once conditions allow, is being heavily criticised.
- Critics warn the plan may echo historic displacement, with the UN saying it risks legitimising Israeli fragmentation and erodes Palestinian sovereignty.
Indonesia’s newly elected president, Prabowo Subianto, recently announced an initiative to evacuate 1,000 Palestinian civilians from Gaza to Indonesia. Presented as a humanitarian intervention, the plan aims to provide sanctuary for the wounded, orphaned, and psychologically traumatised individuals, offering them a temporary respite to safety and from the current bloodbath taking place in Gaza. In his public address, Prabowo assured the world that the evacuations would be provisional, conducted with the consent of Palestinian authorities, and that the evacuees would return to Palestine once conditions permitted.
Yet, much debate has risen regarding whether the political ramifications have been considered here. Political commentators are raising a crucial question: can such an action truly be considered humanitarian if it inadvertently reinforces a larger pattern of displacement and dispossession?
For decades, Israeli policies have sought to fragment Palestinian society—systematically dispersing its people, restricting movement, and eroding the right of return. In this light, any reduction in Gaza’s population, however temporary, risks perpetuating these dynamics. What assurances can be given that those evacuated will be permitted to return? Particularly after Trump has stated this will not happen. And how can one reconcile a seemingly protective gesture with the risk of contributing to a broader strategy of political, cultural, religious and territorial erasure?
These concerns have been raised by influential figures within Indonesia. Buya Anwar Abbas, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), cautioned that Prabowo’s plan bears unsettling similarities to previous proposals—particularly former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan, which suggested relocating Palestinians under the pretence of humanitarian assistance. That plan was widely criticised as a covert attempt to facilitate annexation and undermine Palestinian sovereignty.
Additional voices from Indonesia’s religious leadership, including KH Cholil Nafis of Nahdlatul Ulama and Din Syamsuddin of Muhammadiyah, have echoed these reservations. As Cholil astutely remarked, “The problem is not Gaza’s people, but Israel’s refusal to adhere to international law.” Their argument highlights that focusing solely on alleviating immediate suffering, without confronting its underlying causes, risks legitimising the status quo and allowing the cycle of aggression and brutal bombardment to continue unabated.
The United Nations has also taken a firm position on the matter. Secretary-General António Guterres unequivocally opposed any attempts to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to third countries, declaring such actions to be a violation of international law. He reiterated that Palestinians must be able to live in their own state, free from the threat of forced removal, and emphasised that any such relocation is a violation of their fundamental rights.
While Indonesia’s humanitarian impulse is admirable, and we cannot truly fathom the horrors our Palestinian brothers and sisters are experiencing, many argue that true solidarity with those suffering in the ummah requires more than short-term measures from Muslim leaders. It demands a rigorous engagement with political realities and the ongoing genocide on the ground; a commitment to long-term solutions that uphold the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
