Speech In Bahrain, Prabowo Affirms Indonesia's Commitment To Palestine Peace

Photo: IISS Manama

JAKARTA - Speaking at the 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue 2021, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto emphasized Indonesia's commitment to peace in Palestine.

“Indonesia supports a peaceful resolution that includes a two-state solution for Palestine. And Indonesia is very willing to do everything we can to increase the prospects for that solution," Prabowo said at the forum, quoted from a written statement by the Defense Minister Prabowo's documentation team, Sunday, November 21.

Prabowo said the Indonesian people are following events and developments in the Middle East closely, and the Indonesian people want peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

"The conflict and violence and violence that has occurred is very sad for us," Prabowo said.

On the other hand, Prabowo said that Indonesia always maintains good relations with its counterparts in the Middle East in the counterterrorism sector in the context of Indonesia's security interests. Because it is no secret that many Indonesian hardline groups are influenced by like-minded groups in the Middle East.

He mentioned, for example, the relationship between Al-Qaeda and Jamaah Islamiyah. And between ISIS and its Indonesian affiliate, Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD).

“We are monitoring very closely, and we maintain good relations with our Middle Eastern counterparts in the counterterrorism sector. In general, we continue to monitor regional security complications," he said.

Prabowo continued, Indonesia is also at the same time trying to prevent extremism from thriving for the sake of realizing peace in the country by bringing justice and prosperity to its citizens.

“I believe that extremism and radicalism will thrive when there is poverty, when there is inequality, injustice. When people lose hope, when the poor do not get equal treatment in the eyes of the law, when they feel abandoned by those in power, this is fertile ground for radicalism and extremism," he explained.

“When there is justice, when there is real democracy, when there is the accountability of leaders, when there is equal treatment under the law, all these factors will make the proponents of extremist and radical ideas irrelevant. This is my belief," Prabowo said.