Indonesia to 'stand side by side' with Türkiye in defense of justice: Prabowo

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday expressed support to the nation of Türkiye in its pursuit of justice in an uncertain world.

“We want to stand side by side with Türkiye in defense of justice and righteousness in a world full of uncertainties,” Prabowo said in an address to the Turkish parliament in the capital Ankara.

Lauding warm ties with Ankara, Prabowo said: “For us, Türkiye is actually a continuation of the Ottoman Empire and we remember the historical relations between us.”

Prabowo arrived on an official visit to Türkiye on Wednesday. He will hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is also expected to participate in the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which is set to begin on Friday.

Addressing Turkish lawmakers, the 73-year-old Indonesian leader turned nostalgic, recalling the days of his youth.

“My hero, my icon was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk along with Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II,” he said, referring to the founder of the Turkish Republic and Fatih Mehmet Sultan, the Ottoman sultan.

Turning to the situation in Palestine, Prabowo pointed out hypocrisy of "some countries," which “ignore human rights violations in Gaza.”

“Many countries talk about democracy and human rights, but while children and mothers are being bombed and Gazans are dying, many countries pretend that they are not aware of it and ignore human rights violations in Gaza,” said Prabowo.

The Indonesia leader said on Wednesday that his country will offer temporary shelter to at least 1,000 Palestinian medical evacuees and children orphaned in Gaza.

Israel has killed nearly 51,000 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The enclave has been reduced to a rubble and rendered almost uninhabitable.