Universitas Indonesia takes steps toward stronger solidarity with Palestine

Only a month ago, Universitas Indonesia (UI) stood accused of moral collapse. At its graduate orientation, the nation’s premier university handed its stage to Peter Berkowitz — a man who has spent his career justifying Israel’s occupation and mocking those who stand with Palestine. I called it what it was: a betrayal. But this week, something remarkable happened. On the very same campus where Berkowitz lectured, UI unveiled the Palestine Center — a permanent space for advocacy, scholarship, and solidarity with the Palestinian people. It would be easy to dismiss this as damage control, a cosmetic gesture to erase last month’s outrage. But that would be too cynical. The truth is more complicated, and more promising. For all its missteps, […]