PBNU Talks of Possible Dismissal of Members Who Met Israeli President

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), Indonesia's largest Islamic organization, is taking action after a photo emerged on social media showing five of its members meeting with the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog.

PBNU Secretary General Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, confirmed that the five individuals, including Zainul Maarif and Munawir Aziz, will be summoned for questioning.

“They will be summoned for questioning regarding their purposes, background, parties who sent them, and other principal matters,” Gus Ipul said in a statement on Monday, July 15.

He stressed that PBNU did not authorize the meeting. Therefore, if a violation of NU regulations is found, these five members could be dismissed from their administrative positions within the organization.

The meeting between NU members and President Herzog, he went on, was unwise amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestine. Moreover, it contradicted NU's stance of condemning Israeli continuous attacks on Gaza.

“The visit also hurt the feelings of us all,” Gus Ipul said.

Apart from that, he said PBNU would summon leaders of the NU autonomous body where these five members serve. They are expected to take responsibility for their members' actions.

The issue arose from a photo posted by Zainul Maarif on his Instagram @zenmaarif. The photo which depicted the meeting between the Israeli President and the five NU members met with public criticism.

Tempo attempted to reach out to Zainul Maarif and Munawir Aziz via Instagram, Facebook messages, and WhatsApp but received no response yet.

As previously reported, PBNU chairman Savic Ali confirmed that five NU members, including some administrators, met with the Israeli president.

HENDRIK YAPUTRA

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