Francesca Albanese’s visit to Indonesia brought a direct appeal: translate solidarity with Palestine into decisions that protect rights and uphold international law. Speaking in Jakarta before scheduled appearances at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, the UN Special Rapporteur connected diplomacy with responsibilities reaching universities, businesses and ordinary citizens.
At Amnesty International Indonesia’s October 21 event at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Albanese repeatedly described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Her broader message focused on accountability, Palestinian self-determination and Indonesia’s potential to help strengthen international cooperation.
A Call for Consistent Diplomacy
During the press conference, Albanese questioned whether the Board of Peace could deliver Palestinian self-determination. She acknowledged that participating countries might have good intentions but argued that diplomatic arrangements must remain grounded in international law.
“I think that the Board of Peace is not going to be the tool to realize Palestinian self-determination,” she said.
Indonesia’s government has presented its participation as a way to support humanitarian access and peace efforts. Albanese challenged whether the mechanism would adequately protect Palestinian rights, while recalling Indonesia’s longstanding support for Palestine alongside Malaysia and other members of the Non-Aligned Movement.
“I encourage the government to continue to be led by international law through and through,” she said.
Albanese clarified that she had not interacted directly with the Indonesian government in the discussions she described. Her comments expressed the position of an independent UN-appointed expert, rather than a collective United Nations position.
Turning Support into Practical Action
Asked what Indonesia could accomplish through a specific policy within six to twelve months, Albanese emphasised that no country could address the crisis alone. She recommended regional coalitions and an assessment of direct and indirect relationships that could contribute to abuses.
Such a review, she suggested, could examine commercial dealings, procurement, research programmes and university partnerships. Her argument was that expressions of solidarity should be accompanied by scrutiny of how institutions spend money and choose partners.
She linked this recommendation to the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion, which found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful. The court also addressed other states’ obligations not to recognise or assist the situation arising from that unlawful presence. Albanese’s proposed institutional review was her interpretation of how those obligations could inform policy.
Her repeated use of “genocide” reflected her assessment of events in Gaza. That assessment is distinct from a final judicial determination in the genocide proceedings before the ICJ.
Building on Indonesia’s Record
Indonesia’s engagement already extends across legal advocacy and humanitarian assistance. In February 2024, then-Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi presented Indonesia’s position before the ICJ during hearings on the occupation.
Indonesia also increased its annual contribution to UNRWA to US$1.2 million in 2024, three times the previous amount. Reporting in September that year recorded a further US$3.3 million in assistance from Indonesia’s National Alms Agency, Baznas, since November 2023. These figures document specific contributions during that period, rather than total assistance through 2026.
The challenge raised in Jakarta was how to build on that foundation through coordinated and sustained action.
Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid has similarly advocated stronger legal commitments. In a separate published statement in June 2026, he said, “Indonesia must immediately ratify several key international legal instruments,” referring specifically to the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute. The statement reflects his wider advocacy.
Young People Connect Solidarity with Accountability
Albanese identified youth activism as a significant response to Palestinian suffering. She highlighted students questioning their universities’ institutional relationships and demanding greater transparency over investments and partnerships.
For younger audiences following Gaza through daily reporting and digital platforms, she suggested, the events were shaping political memory in real time. The Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement had also provided practical ways for people to organise around their concerns.
Her analysis connected this mobilisation with wider frustrations over inequality, insecurity and limited opportunities. Solidarity, she argued, increasingly crosses geographical boundaries because people recognise connections between different struggles for justice.
She also warned about repression of activism, placing freedom of expression and peaceful organising alongside the demand for accountability.
Keeping Palestinian Voices at the Centre
Asked about lessons from Gaza’s steadfastness, Albanese broadened her answer to the Palestinian people as a whole. She described a nation that had preserved its identity despite displacement, exile and fragmentation.
This understanding of sumud, or steadfastness, emphasised Palestinians’ agency and their right to determine their future.
Her call for renewed multilateralism followed the same principle. Albanese argued that countries such as Indonesia could help make international cooperation more representative, drawing on ideas including human interdependence, Indigenous relationships with the environment and Indonesia’s unity in diversity.
She also expressed hope that Indonesia would join the Hague Group, which seeks coordinated action in support of Palestinian rights and international law.
Taking the Conversation to Ubud
The forthcoming Bali visit introduced questions about tourism and ethical responsibility. Asked about visitors who might have participated in crimes in Gaza, Albanese urged businesses and authorities to consider accountability alongside economic benefits.
“For me, values are more important than money,” she said.
Her remarks focused on alleged individual conduct. Any investigation or prosecution would require evidence, jurisdiction and due process; nationality alone does not establish criminal responsibility.
At the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, her scheduled October 23 discussions and October 24 session on When the World Sleeps will bring these questions into a literary setting, connecting legal arguments with personal stories and collective memory.
From Jakarta’s press conference to Ubud’s cultural conversations, Albanese’s appeal was for solidarity that produces practical results. For Indonesia, that means building on its diplomatic and humanitarian record while keeping Palestinian rights, legal consistency and accountability at the centre.
