Govt 'Never Heard' of Trump's Gaza Relocation Plan to Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal, mentioning Indonesia as a destination country to relocate the people of . 

“The question of how to rebuild Gaza remains, as well as where some 2 million Palestinians can be relocated in the meantime. Indonesia, for instance, is among the locations under discussion for where some of them could go,” the transition official said, citing NBC.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat, on Monday, January 20, said that Indonesia had never received a proposal from any party, including from the United States, regarding the massive relocation of Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip to Indonesia. 

“The Indonesian government has never heard about this,” Rolliansyah said.

In its support for the recovery in Gaza following the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, Indonesia actively helps the Palestinians in various ways, but that excludes the acceptance of Palestinian refugees in the country. 

According to Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono on Friday, January 17, Indonesia is ready to support Gaza’s reconstruction and increase the flow of aid, as well as send peacekeepers to the Palestinian territory if requested by the United Nations (UN).

In the NBC report, a transition official stated that Witkoff plans to visit Gaza to ensure the ceasefire is “on track,” while discussing the next phase and working to achieve a long-term solution to end the conflict in Gaza.

One of the problems to be considered is where the two million displaced Gaza residents will relocate while Gaza is being rebuilt.

However, the Trump transition team recognizes that the idea of relocation is deeply controversial among Palestinians and Arab communities, of which many believe it would provide an excuse for Israel to expel the people of Gaza from their homeland.

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