BDS Indonesia: Granting Visas to the Israeli Football National Team Shows Support for the Country

Jakarta, MINA – With the passage of the Israeli Football Team to the 2023 U-20 World Cup which will be held in Indonesia, the Boycott Movement, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Indonesia said that granting visas to the Israeli national team is a form of support for the apartheid regime and illegal Israeli settlements, as well as a form of decline in Indonesia’s commitment to support Palestinian independence.

“As a form of commitment to human rights and international law, the Indonesian government is obliged to refuse the entry of the Israeli national team as long as the Israeli Football Association continues to involve football clubs from illegal Israeli settlements. BDS said in a written statement on Monday.

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As an alternative, he continued, the Indonesian government could also impose a ban on the playing of the Israeli national anthem and the raising of the Israeli flag during the U-20 World Cup activities, and impose a ban on broadcasting and audience attendance at every U-20 World Cup match involving the Israeli national team.

The BDS Indonesia movement also invites all Indonesians to reject the arrival of the Israeli national team, including by boycotting Puma products as the sole sponsor of the Israeli national team, as well as in other effective and responsible ways.

The Israeli Football Association as the manager of the Israeli national team actively involves football clubs from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including Ariel, Giv’at Ze’ev, Ma’ale Adumim, Oranit, and Tomer.

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According to BDS, the involvement of the Israeli Football Association and Puma as its sole sponsor in perpetuating Israel’s illegal settlements is a form of redressing Israel’s human rights crimes against Palestinians, including the Palestinian sports world.

“Indonesia has long been committed to supporting Palestinian independence, since President Soekarno’s refusal to grant visas to the Israeli contingent to participate in the 1962 Asian Games, to President Jokowi’s 2016 call for a boycott of Israeli products originating from illegal settlements. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)