Prabowo Says Indonesia Must Get Stronger to Help Palestine

Prabowo Links Indonesia’s Strength to Support for Palestine

Tempatdonasi.com – President Prabowo Subianto used a gathering at Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School to underscore a broader national message: Indonesia must build its own strength if it is to stand effectively with oppressed communities, including Palestinians.

Speaking at a reception commemorating the school’s 100th anniversary on Saturday, September 19, 2026, Prabowo said Indonesia’s concern for Palestine should be matched by a determination to become more capable, self-reliant, and resilient as a country.

If we are strong, we can help our brothers and sisters who are oppressed by another regime.

The president’s remarks came as he reflected on the continuing attacks experienced by Palestinians. He argued that the suffering faced by the Palestinian people should not merely prompt sympathy, but should also motivate Indonesians to improve their country’s capacity to respond to challenges and offer meaningful support to others.

An Emotional Moment at Gontor

During the event, Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulfattah A.K. Al-Sattari presented Prabowo with a keffiyeh, the traditional Palestinian scarf. After returning to the podium, the president was seen wiping his eyes with the scarf.

Prabowo then repeated the call, “Free Palestine,” several times while addressing the audience. He apologized for becoming emotional and said the moment had brought Palestinians to mind.

I apologize. I was reminded of our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

The exchange gave the speech a personal dimension, while also reinforcing the central point of his address: Indonesia’s international solidarity depends in part on the strength it develops at home. In Prabowo’s framing, concern for people facing oppression is connected to national preparedness, education, economic independence, and the ability to safeguard the country’s own interests.

Self-Reliance as a National Priority

Prabowo urged Indonesians to study seriously and contribute to building a stronger nation. He described national power not simply as a matter of influence, but as the ability to face difficulties without excessive reliance on other countries.

That emphasis on self-reliance was a recurring theme in his message. Indonesia, he said, must be able to administer, defend, and reinforce itself by properly managing the resources and wealth available to the country.

For students and educators at an Islamic boarding school marking a century of service, the message placed education within a wider national purpose. Learning, discipline, and institutional development were presented as elements that can help Indonesia become more secure and better positioned to act on its principles.

The president’s appeal also suggested that solidarity with Palestine should be understood alongside domestic responsibility. A country seeking to assist others, his remarks indicated, must first ensure it has the resilience, capability, and independence needed to sustain that role.

History and the Determination to Remain Independent

Prabowo also called on Indonesians to draw lessons from the nation’s past. He stressed the importance of remembering history so that Indonesia does not again experience colonization.

And we must be determined never to be colonized again by anyone. We must be strong.

The statement connected the president’s discussion of Palestine with Indonesia’s own experience of colonial rule and its longstanding emphasis on sovereignty. His remarks did not present national strength as an abstract ambition; instead, he tied it to the practical need to protect independence and prevent outside domination.

By combining the themes of Palestine, education, resource management, and historical memory, Prabowo framed national development as a moral as well as strategic responsibility. In this view, Indonesia’s ability to speak up for oppressed people will be more credible and effective when it is supported by strong institutions and greater domestic capacity.

The centennial event at Darussalam Gontor became a setting for that wider appeal. Prabowo’s message to the audience was that national progress requires more than expressions of concern. It requires sustained work to educate citizens, strengthen the country, manage its assets, and preserve its independence.

His emotional response to the keffiyeh presentation highlighted the human dimension of the Palestinian issue, while his wider speech returned repeatedly to Indonesia’s own future. For Prabowo, the two subjects are closely connected: a stronger Indonesia, he argued, will be better able to defend its sovereignty and extend support to people facing oppression elsewhere.