September 18, 2025
JAKARTA – Indonesia condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar as a “horrific and cowardly” breach of international law, urging Arab and Islamic nations to mount a united response against Tel Aviv’s continued aggression in the region.
Foreign Minister Sugiono, attending an emergency summit in Doha earlier this week, said the attack must be seen as part of Israel’s broader pattern of violations across the region and rooted in its decades-long occupation of Palestine.
The meeting, which brought together leaders of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), sought to move beyond symbolic gestures and map out coordinated legal, diplomatic and economic measures to hold Israel accountable.
Anger has mounted since the Sept. 9 strike on Doha, which killed civilians and hit facilities linked to Qatar’s mediation efforts in Gaza.
Following a day of preparatory meetings and another full day of high-level summit, nearly 60 countries issued a joint statement on Monday condemning the attack “in the strongest possible terms”.
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The declaration called on all nations to suspend arms transfers to Israel, reassess diplomatic and economic ties with it and support efforts to end its decades of “impunity.” It also backed Qatar in any steps taken to safeguard its sovereignty and security, while urging an international review of Israel’s United Nations membership status, given its plethora of violations.
FM Sugiono, in his remarks reiterated Indonesia’s solidarity with Qatar and Palestine, stressing that inaction would pose an existential threat to regional security.
“What we witnessed in Doha is not an isolated incident. It is the tragic consequence of decades of impunity,” he said on Monday. “The Palestinian question is not solely about Palestine, it is about the survival of our nations, the dignity of our people and the sanity of international law. We must not lose sight of the root cause.”
He underscored Indonesia’s “unchanged” position of supporting the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Qatar, with Palestine and with all nations that uphold international law and humanity,” Sugiono asserted.
Indonesia has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, with its Constitution affirming that “independence is the right of every nation” and rejecting all forms of occupation. Jakarta has consistently reiterated that it will not normalize relations with Israel as long as Palestine remains under occupation.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani described the strike as “treacherous,” alleging it was a deliberate attempt to sabotage Doha’s mediation efforts by killing Hamas negotiators.
“If you wish to insist on the liberation of hostages, why then do they assassinate all negotiators? How can we host in our country negotiating delegations from Israel while they send drones and planes for an air raid against our country?” Tamim lamented during the talks.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Israel as a state embodying a “terrorist mindset that thrives on chaos and bloodshed”, calling the Qatar attack an unprecedented display of “banditry” sparked by a “greedy, bloodthirsty mentality”.
Iran, who was also attacked by an unprovoked surprise attack killing military leaders, politicians and civilians, urged unity among Islamic nations, warning that silence over Gaza was no longer an option.
“It is possible that Islamic countries cut their ties with this fake regime and maintain unity and cohesion as much as possible,” said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.