Thousands rally near US Embassy in Jakarta to protest Israeli bombardment of Gaza

Thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters amassed in front of the US Embassy in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Saturday to condemn Israel's ongoing violation of international law amid heavy bombardment of the Rafah refugee camp.

The protest, titled "A Billion Curses for Zionist Israel," was organized to show solidarity and support for Palestinians, particularly following an Israeli airstrike in Rafah on May 26 that killed at least 45 Palestinians, including many women and children, the local daily Jakarta Globe reported.

The hashtag #alleyesonrafah has been shared over 47 million times on social media, attracting global attention.

A crowd gathered in front of the embassy at 6:00 a.m. (local time), many of whom were carrying Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Zionist and anti-US slogans.

Several religious leaders, celebrities, and politicians delivered speeches from atop a command vehicle, including Mardani Ali Sera of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

"The turnout is extraordinary. May our commitment to defending Palestine continue to thrive and remain steadfast, and may we soon witness Palestinian independence,” Mardani said.

He also urged the crowd to voice their support on social media and thanked them for their enthusiasm. Following his speech, the crowd responded with chants of "Allahuakbar (Allah is Great)!" and other slogans.

Other speakers urged the crowd to continue boycotting Israeli products and to avoid purchasing goods from companies associated with or supporting Israel. They also criticized Washington for failing to curb Israel's actions.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stressed the government to rally military aid from other countries to support Palestine in ending Israel's atrocities.

“Considering the heinous mass killings and evident genocide in Gaza, the Indonesian government must initiate military aid with other nations, especially Islamic countries (OIC), to stop the brutality and barbarity of Zionist Israel,” said MUI Fatwa Chairman Asrorun Niam Sholeh in a statement on Friday.