OIC legislators rally for Palestine at Jakarta talks

Beyond Palestine and the war in Gaza, Mardani emphasised the significance of good governance and strong institutions as key to enhancing resilience in the face of global challenges.

Dio Suhenda

Dio Suhenda

The Jakarta Post

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This handout photo taken and released by the Saudi Royal Palace shows King Salman bin Abdulaziz walking past national flags of OIC member states at the opening session of a summit of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi holy city of Mecca in the early hours of June 1, 2019. PHOTO: AFP

May 14, 2025

JAKARTA – Indonesia kicked off the first day of its hosting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States (PUIC) conference with the war in Gaza in focus, as legislators from across the Islamic world renewed calls for Palestinian independence.

On Monday afternoon, House of Representatives’ Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body (BKSAP) head Mardani Ali Sera chaired the meeting of the PUIC Palestine Committee, during which he condemned Israel for what he called “the systematic genocide” taking place in Gaza.

“The PUIC must become a moral and political force to realize a peaceful, just and prosperous world,” Mardani said when opening the meeting, as quoted from a press release from the House.

Mardani, who is also a lawmaker from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), went on to call on all OIC member states to take concrete actions, ranging from parliamentary diplomacy to backing international legal processes, to ensure accountability for Israel’s war crimes and uphold justice for the Palestinian people.

The PUIC comprises legislatures from 54 out of 57 OIC member states. The OIC itself has repeatedly condemned Israel’s aggression against the Palestinian people, while Indonesia is known for its fervent support of the Palestinian cause.

Also during the session, the Saudi Arabian delegation spoke about the importance of unity among Muslim-majority countries due to the OIC’s collective strength and vast potential.

Beyond Palestine and the war in Gaza, Mardani emphasized the significance of good governance and strong institutions as key to enhancing resilience in the face of global challenges.

He added that Islamic principles of justice, trust and accountability should form the foundation for strengthening democracy and inter-parliamentary cooperation among OIC member states.

“[This] is a strategic opportunity to strengthen a shared commitment to fighting for the aspirations of Muslims and strengthening unity for a peaceful and civilized future,” Mardani added.

BKSAP deputy chair Muhammad Husein Fadlulloh told reporters after the meeting that lawmakers from OIC member states shared the same commitment to adopting a resolution that will advocate for Palestinian independence.

But Husein, who is a politician from President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party, added that the challenge comes with ensuring the resolution can be accepted and adopted by the international community at large.

“We were all talking about the conditions in Gaza and how we can help the Palestinian people from various aspects. But what is more important is how we unite our strategies so that the international world, [including countries] outside of the OIC, also supports this struggle,” Husein said.

A member of parliament from Malaysia said that almost everyone in the meeting “made [similar] statements that ‘we should stop this war once and for all’.”

He said, however, that any support for ending the war should translate into actions. “We have to pressure the United Nations and the whole world stop this genocide,” he said after the meeting, as quoted from a video published by the House.

The meeting was part of a series of sessions for the 19th PUIC conference in Jakarta, which started on Monday and will end on Thursday, attended by parliamentary delegations from 37 OIC member countries.

President Prabowo, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong are expected to deliver keynote speeches on Wednesday, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the PUIC.

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