‘We cry for Palestine’: Indonesian homemakers mobilise support for ‘family’
Al Jazeera
They’re raising funds for Gaza, rallying against the war and educating young Indonesians about the conflict.
Medan, Indonesia – On a cloudy and dull Sunday morning in December, more than a thousand people gathered on the grounds of the Istana Maimoon, a 19th-century palace that is a local landmark in the city of Medan in North Sumatra.
Outside the palace, a sea of people dressed predominantly in white, green, black and red, the colours of the Palestinian flag, had gathered to hear speeches in support of the Palestinian cause.
Many in the crowd were wearing headbands with the Indonesian and Palestinian flags on them that bounced as they moved, or cloth bands tied around their foreheads with the words “Save Palestine” printed on them. Large and small Palestinian flags rippled in the breeze and were waved by men and women, while small stickers of the flag were stuck to participants’ cheeks.
Mothers pushed babies in prams and children held their parents’ hands as they proudly posed for family photos with flags or flashing peace signs. At times, pockets of the crowds would erupt with chants and slogans such as, “Israel are terrorists!” and “Free Palestine”, as participants pumped their fists in the air.
The crowds were there for a peaceful demonstration in support of Palestine, one of many protests and rallies held across the country amid Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 20,000 people since October 7, when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel.
