TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than two million people attended the pro-Palestine rally in Monas (the National Monument), Central Jakarta, on Sunday, November 5, 2023, organized by the Indonesian People's Alliance to Defend Palestine, according to the rally's coordinator Bachtiar Nasir.

“We were aiming for at least 2 million participants, [but] it seemed to be more than that. I'll check later,” Nasir said in the Monas area.

According to him, similar events will be held again, as he announced on the stage. “Of course, this will not end here. [We] will continue to fight for the independence of Palestine,” he remarked.

In his speech, Nasir said Israel launched brutal attacks in response to the terror unleashed by Palestine’s armed group Hamas on its territory, calling Israel a colonial country. “As Indonesians, we will continue to help them (the Palestinian people).”

The rally was not only attended by people from Jakarta and its neighboring regions. Several celebrities were also seen at the event, not to mention national figures.

Three ministers represented the government, namely Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy. Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Puan Maharani, was also present and delivered her speech.

Anies Baswedan was the only presidential candidate for the 2024 election to accept the invitation to attend the rally, calling for free Palestine in Monas. Other national figures were also present, including former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, former speaker of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais, and former chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Din Syamsuddin.

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