October 8, 2025 | 08:23 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Anwar Abbas, the chair of the central board of Muhammadiyah, a prominent religious group in Indonesia, criticized the planned arrival of the Israeli gymnastics contingent in Jakarta. Anwar said allowing the athletes to come and compete in the country would prove to be problematic.
"How can we accept the presence of athletes who are official representatives of Israel, a country with which we have no diplomatic relations?" Anwar told Tempo on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
Israel, Anwar asserted, is a colonizing state that holds little respect for humanity and humanitarian values. But Indonesia, he went on, is known as an anticolonial nation that highly respects humanity and justice.
Anwar mentioned that the Israeli forces have killed over 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza for the past two years, excluding those who are sick and wounded.
"Moreover, looking at the impact of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, more than 90% of the houses in Gaza have been destroyed and damaged. Approximately 1.9 million out of 2.1 million residents have lost their homes," he said.
Anwar said there is no point in establishing sports relations with a country that is committing a genocide. "Therefore, the presence of Israeli athletes competing in the world championship held in Jakarta must be rejected," he said.
Besides clashing with the mandate and the spirit of Indonesia's Constitution, the Israeli athletes' arrival will cause deep emotional distress to the majority of the Indonesian people. "The presence of Israeli athletes will clearly provoke turmoil in this country," he added.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also expressed its rejection. MUI Secretary General, Amirsyah Tambunan, in Jakarta, urged all parties to reject the arrival of Israeli gymnast athletes as a form of support for the liberation of Palestine from any form of colonization.
"Colonization must be abolished because it is not in accordance with humanity and justice," said Amirsyah on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, as cited by Antara, while affirming his rejection.
According to Amirsyah, rejecting the participation of the Israeli gymnast athletes upholds the independence and good reputation of Indonesian sports in the global stage.
Israeli media outlet Jewish News Syndicate reported that several Israeli gymnasts are said to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Jakarta on October 19-25, 2025. According to the report, the Israel Gymnastics Federation confimred it has registered to participate in the championship.
The media claimed that Indonesia has informed the Israeli national gymnastics governing body that they will welcome Israeli athletes to the competition. "We are in direct contact with the organizers and believe that extraneous considerations will not overshadow the sport,” a spokesperson for the Israel Gymnastics Federation told JNS.
“We expect the competition organizers to approve the entry of the delegation as well as the security requirements for the delegation’s safe participation in the championship.”
Dewi Rina Cahyani contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor’s Choice: Hosting Israeli Athletes in Jakarta Will Provoke Public Outrage, Says Governor Pramono
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Israel Intercepts Another Gaza Aid Ship, Detains Volunteers
1 jam lalu
Israel intercepted the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's humanitarian aid ship as it attempted to reach Gaza.
Hosting Israeli Athletes in Jakarta Will Provoke Public Outrage, Says Governor Pramono
2 jam lalu
Jakarta Governor Pramono stated that the majority of Indonesians harbor negative sentiments toward Israel.
Minister Sugiono: Issuing Visas for Israeli Athletes Not Under Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Authority
2 jam lalu
Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono responded to the plan by Israeli athletes to participate in the World Gymnastics Championship in Jakarta.
North Jakarta School Bomb Threat Sparks Police Investigation
2 jam lalu
This bomb threat in North Jakarta Intercultural School follows similar terror incidents targeting two international schools in Tangerang.
Greta Thunberg Fires Back at Trump's "Anger Management" Remarks
5 jam lalu
Greta Thunberg responds to Donald Trump's remarks about her.
Italy Expects More Protesters Than Fans in World Cup Qualifiers Match Against Israel
8 jam lalu
The Italy vs Israel match is expected to draw more pro-Palestine demonstrators outside the football stadium than football fans.
Donald Trump Criticizes Greta Thunberg's Anger Management: 'She Needs to See a Doctor'
10 jam lalu
US President Trump has criticized climate activist Greta Thunberg, stating that she has difficulty controlling her anger and needs to see a doctor.
Indonesian Ulema Council Rejects Israeli Gymnasts' Arrival in Jakarta
12 jam lalu
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on all parties to reject Israeli artistic gymnastics team, which is rumored to be competing in Indonesia
Top Vatican Diplomat Criticizes Israeli Ongoing Massacre in Gaza
1 hari lalu
This constitutes one of the harshest criticisms of Israel's genocide in Gaza from a senior figure in the Vatican.
Which Companies Reap Profit from Israel's Genocide in Gaza?
1 hari lalu
These are some of the companies that have posted significant profit growth since the Gaza genocide escalated in October 2023.
