He conveyed this view during a bilateral meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Imad Abdullah Saleem Hamdan, on the sidelines of the international forum Culture, Heritage, Art, Narrative, Diplomacy, and Innovation (CHANDI) 2025 in Bali, according to a statement cited here on Thursday.
"What is happening is not just a genocide against a nation, but also a genocide against its culture and civilization. The destruction of infrastructure, historical sites, cultural spaces, and community centers in Palestine reflects a systematic attempt to weaken the culture," he noted.
In light of this alarming situation, he affirmed that Indonesia remains strongly committed to standing by Palestine in its struggle for sovereignty and independence.
"Indonesia stands ready to make active contributions through political and diplomatic channels as well as humanitarian missions to help end the crisis in Gaza and support Palestine in becoming independent and sovereign," Zon stressed.
This commitment was formalized through the signing of a letter of intent on culture between the ministries of culture of Indonesia and Palestine, paving the way for cooperation in various initiatives such as organizing an international forum highlighting the cultural genocide in Gaza.
The two countries also plan to promote Palestinian cultural products in Indonesia and hold cultural exchange programs, including a Palestinian culture week in Indonesia and the translation and publication of Palestinian literature.
In this regard, the Indonesian minister asserted that cultural diplomacy offers an effective means to bolster mutual understanding, respect, and international solidarity. He expressed his belief that cooperation in this area can help preserve Palestine in the memory of the international community.
"We will work with the Palestinian ambassador to address technical matters for implementing the cooperation," he affirmed.
Minister Hamdan, for his part, praised Indonesia for unwaveringly portraying Israel's invasion as a genocide and a systematic attempt to undermine Palestinian culture.
"They are trying to erase our culture, but our identity will always persist. Support from Indonesia is crucial to maintaining the existence of Palestinian culture," he said.
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Translator: Ni Putu, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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