Parliament Urges Stronger Sanctions to Israel After OIC Members Statement

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Deputy Speaker of Indonesia's parliament – the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Hidayat Nur Wahid, advised the eight Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states that recently issued another joint statement to follow up on their position with "concrete action". The statement strongly condemned Israel’s efforts to expand its occupation and forcibly expel Palestinians in the Gaza Strip from their homeland.

On Monday, September 7, 2026, the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement strongly condemning remarks by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Minister of Defense Israel Katz. The two ministers had called for the forced displacement of Palestinians from the strip, including proposals and mechanisms aimed at forcibly expelling Palestinians from their land.

HNW, as Hidayat Nur Wahid is commonly known, said the repeated joint statements should be made more effective through concrete measures to defend Palestine and stop what he described as Israel’s humanitarian crimes. These measures could include boycotts and economic sanctions against Israel over alleged human rights violations against the Palestinian people. He also called on countries that have normalized relations with Israel to sever diplomatic ties immediately.

"Therefore, these countries should not stop at repeatedly issuing joint statements, but should demonstrate their seriousness through more concrete and effective action, for example by severing all forms of economic relations with Israel. This includes countries that have 'normalized' relations with Israel, which should immediately reverse course and expel Israeli ambassadors from their respective countries," he said in a press release issued in Jakarta on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, as reported by dpr.go.id.

HNW said one way to pressure Israel would be to boycott products or companies allegedly involved in Israel’s actions. He also said economic sanctions, including the termination of trade and investment ties with Israel, could be implemented.

"If at least these OIC member states were to do so on a massive and consistent scale, it could be effective because of the significant impact it would have on Israel’s economy," he said.

HNW further noted that boycotts of Israeli products and companies have already been carried out organically by many groups and individuals in these countries, including Indonesia. However, he said such movements would have a greater impact if governments became involved to ensure that boycotts and economic sanctions were genuinely effective and capable of putting pressure on Israel’s economy.

HNW said he and several civil society groups in Indonesia are currently pushing for the proposed Bill on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS Bill) to be discussed and passed as soon as possible. He described it as concrete evidence of Indonesia’s support for Palestinian independence and a means of holding Israel accountable for alleged human rights violations against Palestinians.

He said the House of Representatives (DPR) has received the bill and included it among the medium-term priorities.

"Given the escalation, which is increasingly moving peace in Palestine and the realization of a two-state solution further out of reach, it is important for the DPR’s Legislative Body to include the bill in the Priority National Legislation Program in the near future so that it can be discussed and passed as soon as possible. This would allow it to contribute to ending humanitarian crimes and bringing peace and Palestinian independence in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution," he said, referring to the Indonesian 1945 Constitution.

HNW said that if the bill were passed, it would become an Indonesian legacy to the international community by imposing sanctions on Israel over alleged human rights violations against Palestinians. He said this would also align with the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion and rulings concerning Israel, as well as Indonesia’s position as the country chairing the UN Human Rights Council.

Therefore, HNW hoped for cooperation with the government to discuss and pass the bill jointly and immediately. Under the constitution, an act is enacted jointly by the DPR and the government.

“So this cannot be done by the DPR alone. Concrete action is also needed from the government, so that it is aligned with the position of the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has once again joined seven other OIC countries in issuing a joint position. This is also consistent with President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to consistently support Palestinian independence and an end to all forms of human rights violations by Israel,” he said.