REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called imams in this country to deliver Friday sermon the subject of Palestinian struggles. According to Chairman of the MUI Dawah Commission H Ahmad Zubaidi, it is important for preachers of Friday prayers (khatib) to raise the theme about Palestine so that Indonesian people have a more correct understanding about the state which is being colonized by Israel.

Ahmad Zubaidi added that the theme is also cruciail in the context of building Muslim solidarity. He hoped that Indonesian Muslims can contribute more humanitarian aid to Palestine through credible and correct institutions.

“It is necessary (for Indonesian Muslims) to pray for peace in Palestine, especially in Gaza. We can also insist on Israel to withdraw its troops immediately and not to commit violence or bombardment to Gaza,” Zubaidi told Republika on Friday (10/11/2023).

"Let us pray that Israel immediately withdraws from Gaza, Palestine. Our hope that Palestine can be fully an independent nation-state," he added.

Zubaidi believed that Friday sermons could be a way to build people's perception of how we should understand Palestine. No matter how much the war is nerve waged on social media, Indonesian people should be selective and critical on consuming news. He warned that, if one does not aware of bias and stereotypes, the Palestinian freedom fighters can be blamed. "Especially Hamas. Many parties branded it as a terrorist," he said.

Kiai Zubaidi explained that Hamas is one of many Palestinian fighters. They are fighting for the right to the independence of Palestine. The Muslim country is being annexed or colonized by Israel. “So don't turn it around as if Israel is the victim of Hamas attacks,” he said.

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