Dino Patti Djalal "Surprise": Meeting with Prabowo for 3 Hours Not One Direction, Open Discussion on the Palestinian Issue

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto held a meeting for almost three hours with former foreign ministers, former deputy foreign ministers, and senior diplomacy figures at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Participants assessed that the forum was not just a ceremony: the discussion was said to be open, two-way, and touched on sensitive issues, including Palestine.

Former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal admitted that he was surprised because the atmosphere of the meeting was different from the stories that had been circulating about the meeting which tended to be one-way. "First I was a little surprised... we heard a lot of stories about meetings with the President which were one-way, top down. But what I saw today I was surprised because the atmosphere was totally open," said Dino after the meeting.

Dino emphasized that there were no restrictions on topics. Questions flowed, policy risks were discussed, options were debated, and the President responded directly. "This discussion has no limits ... it is very open and this discussion is two-way, so it is not one-way," he said.

Former Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the meeting provided enlightenment because there was a lot of diplomatic information that had not been fully known to the public. He assessed that limited access to information often triggered incomplete perceptions. "Therefore, it is a valuable opportunity ... we get enlightenment and a lot of information that we don't know," said Hassan.

Former Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab emphasized that Indonesia's stance on Palestine remains consistent, including support for the two-state solution. "Indonesia has never abandoned its commitment to the Palestinian struggle, and still wants a two-state solution... it is a death penalty," he said.

Senior diplomat Jusuf Wanandi assessed that Prabowo gave a comprehensive explanation - even answering a number of things before being asked. He considers this kind of forum important so that the public understands the complexity of diplomatic decisions. "This is an opportunity ... opened by the President that we must appreciate and we must be able to use together," he said.