TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hidayat Nur Wahid, the deputy chair of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), urges President Prabowo Subianto to leverage his good relationship with Donald Trump to free five Indonesians detained by Israel while heading to Gaza in a humanitarian mission.
Hidayat reckons that Trump's ties with Israel may open an effective diplomatic channel in the absence of relations between Indonesia and Israel. Prabowo's personal relations with Trump, he believes, must be utilized to pressure Tel Aviv to release the Indonesian nationals.
"Pak Prabowo is greatly praised by Donald Trump. I believe this is a good opportunity for Pak Prabowo to tell Trump to prove that the Board of Peace is indeed aimed at realizing peace, if his praises were sincere," he says in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
Referring to the Trump-backed peace group that involves several nations, Hidayat says detaining volunteers and journalists on a humanitarian mission contradicts the spirit of peace claimed by the Board of Peace.
"These activists are not there to incite war, but rather to fulfill one of the Board of Peace's clauses, which is the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza," he says.
The five detained Indonesians consist of four journalists and one humanitarian activist participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla mission to Gaza.
Their detention by Israel, Hidayat maintains, is a violation of human rights and international law, as the participants of the mission are seeking to provide aid to civilians in Gaza.
He asserts that Indonesia still has the obligation to protect its citizens despite not having diplomatic relations with Israel. "It does not mean Israel is allowed to do as it pleases and that Indonesia is barred from defending its citizens," he says.
Hidayat also mentions Indonesia's position as the Chair of the UN Human Rights Council, which he believes can be used to strengthen diplomatic pressure on Israel. He emphasizes that the government must rally international support along with other countries whose citizens were detained in the mission.
He cites Malaysia, which previously succeeded in freeing its citizens from Israeli detention despite the two countries not having diplomatic relations. According to Hidayat, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is experienced with handling a similar case.
Besides Malaysia, Hidayat urges the government to communicate with various international parties, including the United States. Washington's sway on Israel may be a crucial factor in the negotiation process for the release of the Indonesian citizens.
Hidayat expresses optimism that the government can bring back the five Indonesians, as citizen protection is a constitutional mandate.
"We entrust President Prabowo to carry out the constitutional mandate of protecting all Indonesian citizens by freeing the citizens detained in Israel," he says.
Read: Who Are the Five Indonesians Detained by Israel?
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