TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) asked the government to persistently support the struggle of the Palestinian people and oppose the normalization of ties with Israel.

“Do not make the economy, for example, as a consideration [to normalize the ties] and sacrifice our attitude and personality, as well as beliefs, that we have been holding so far,” said the council’s head of international affairs Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim in a written statement on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Since the beginning, he underlined, Indonesia has been committed to its identity as an anti-colonial nation. “Everyone knows already that Israel is a colonizer and has occupied the lands and people of Palestine for a long time,” Sudarnoto remarked.

Thus, the council asked the government, particularly the Foreign Affairs Ministry, to keep fighting for the independence of Palestinians on the global stage. “MUI will give its full support to the efforts against Israel imperialism,” he added.

Issues about Indonesia's plan to normalize relations with Israel was first reported by Israeli media The Jerusalem Post last Sunday. It was said that Saudi Arabia was joining hands with the United States to persuade other countries including Indonesia and Oman to normalize the tie with Israel.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah confirmed that there was no talk about normalization. “The ministry carries out its foreign policy over the Palestine-Israel conflict under the mandate of the Constitution,” Faizasyah added.

In response to the normalization of UAE and Israel, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi on August 14, 2020, reiterated that Indonesia’s position in the Palestinian conflict has not changed.

Also Read: Morocco Joins other Arab Nations Agreeing to Normalize Israel Ties

DEWI NURITA