Constitutional Mandate, Indonesia Rejects Presence of Israeli Colonists
Deputy Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI) Dr. H. M Hidayat Nur Wahid, MA re-accepting the aspirations of the citizens so that the Indonesian Government rejects the presence of the Israeli Football National Team in the U-20 World Cup which will be held on 22 May-11 June 2023 in Indonesia.
The aspiration was conveyed by the Chairperson of the Presidium Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) dr Sarbini Abdul Murad, in the context of “Humanity Political Safari to Reject the Arrival of the Israeli National Team”.
HNW, as he is familiarly called, appreciates the attitude of MER-C and Indonesian citizens who convey their constitutional aspirations to the MPR RI.
This was conveyed in an exclusive interview with MINA News Agency reporter Rana Setiawan with Hidayat Nur Wahid when receiving the Chair of the MER-C Presidium, dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad, in the Office of the Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly, Nusantara III Building, 9th Floor, Jakarta Parliament Complex on Friday, September 2, 2022.
HNW thinks that Indonesia as a sovereign country that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, should be easier to refuse, because Indonesia can expressly say that it cannot grant visas to citizens with Israeli passports.
Moreover, as an independent and sovereign country, Indonesia can learn from many international sporting events that respect the unique traditions and rules of each country.
He also emphasized that Indonesia is not like European countries or countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel. Indonesia has rejected Israel from the start. The mandate of the Indonesian constitution rejects all forms of occupation, including the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The following are excerpts of an exclusive interview with HNW about Refusing the Arrival of the Israeli National Team:
MINA: What do you think about the idea of rejecting the arrival of the Israeli National Football Team to Indonesia?
HNW: I appreciate the attitude of MER-C and Indonesian citizens who convey their constitutional aspirations to the MPR RI.
Because indeed the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution which is always socialized by the MPR does emphasize the rejection of occupation as carried out by Israel against Palestine, as well as the principle of the goal of Indonesia’s independence as well as to be involved in bringing about world order which is based on peace and independence, among other things, things that are still being borrowed. President Joko Widodo statement – Indonesia’s debt to Palestine.
Naturally, the government should not allow the Israeli team to play in Indonesia, as President Soekarno had done before. Moreover, at that time (in 1957) only 22% of Palestinian lands were occupied by Israel, while now more than 80% of Palestinian lands have been occupied and plundered by Israel.
The uniqueness of Indonesia as an independent and sovereign country that rejects Israeli occupation and supports Palestinian independence, the Indonesian government should be able to respond elegantly and consistently so that it has an impact on supporting Palestinian independence and correcting Israeli occupation of Palestine.
This attitude according to the constitution has become the attitude of President Soekarno and other Indonesian president after Soekarno.
MINA: Could you explain what the attitude of President Soekarno and other Indonesian presidents after him was?
HNW: Several times Soekarno or Bung Karno did not acknowledge and did not want to be involved with Israel nor invited them to Indonesia. At the time of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in 1955, Bung Karno rejected Israel’s wish to be invited by Indonesia.
Bung Karno instead invited Shaykh Muhammad Amin Al-Husaini, a prominent Palestinian fighter and mufti in Jerusalem’s Al Quds, who even since 1944 had voiced the importance of supporting Indonesia’s independence.
Including in sports events, Bung Karno banned the Indonesian football national team from competing against Israel in the 1958 World Cup qualifiers, and banned the arrival of the Israeli football national team at the 1962 Asian Games.
Indonesia has a basic attitude. The preamble to the Constitution is very clear and that is Indonesia’s goal. Bung Karno clearly translated the Preamble to the Constitution in various international events The Indonesian national team does not want to compete with Israel. Israel respects Indonesia’s attitude.
When Bung Karno refused Indonesia to compete with the Israeli national team in 1958, Israel had only colonized 22 percent of Palestinian land, but now almost 85 percent of Palestinian land has been seized by Israel and is directly under the control of the Israeli occupation power.
Yes, when it colonized 22 percent of Palestinian land, Indonesia rejected the Israeli national team, now Israel has controlled more than 80 percent of Palestinian land, Indonesia has accepted the Israeli team? On the contrary, we should have only colonized 22 percent of Palestinian land, we rejected Israel, especially when Israel already controlled more than 80 percent of Palestinian land. It should have been more emphatically rejected.
MINA: Then what about the efforts of several parties so that Indonesia can normalize relations with Israel?
HNW: President Jokowi still insists that Indonesia has a historical debt with Palestine. The only country that was not independent at the time of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in 1955 was Palestine.
This means that Indonesia should pay its historical debt by maximizing efforts to fight for Palestinian independence. Therefore, all maneuvers that mean recognition of Israel and further distance Palestine from independence must be avoided.
MINA: There is an opinion that this refusal is to mix sports with politics. How do you view this?
HNW: The planned arrival of the Israeli national team at the U-20 world championship is not a matter of mixing sports with politics, even though it has been done by FIFA and other world organizations when imposing sanctions on Russia and its sports athletes. Meanwhile, Israel, which has attacked and seized Palestinian land for more than 70 years, has not been sanctioned by FIFA and other organizations.
However, this rejection needs to be done by the Government of Indonesia. Because Indonesia is obliged to carry out the constitutional order which has become the basic attitude of the state as practiced by Bung Karno and Indonesia’s foreign policy, which wants to be involved in carrying out world order based on independence, eternal peace and social justice.
As Indonesia’s constitutional commitment to defend Palestine in the framework of upholding independence and world order, the Ministry of Youth and Sports should continue the constitutional stance that has been exemplified by Bung Karno and subsequent Indonesian Presidents.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports should not give guarantees to the Israeli football national team, moreover it has not been discussed in the DPR. It should have been discussed with the people’s representatives first and, listen to the voice of the conscience of the Indonesian people, by asking the MUI, Islamic mass organizations, to then return to the identity of Indonesia which consistently defends Palestine and rejects Israeli occupation.
MINA: Does the idea of rejecting the Israeli football national team need to be intensified?
HNW: Indonesia is a sovereign country and has unique characteristics, so it is only natural that Indonesia’s uniqueness should be recognized. In European countries, in Formula I or MotoGP racing, when a driver wins is celebrated with Champagne.
In the Formula E race in Jakarta or MotoGP in Lombok, we do not use the celebration of victory with Champagne. It does not matter. This means that it has become an international tradition to respect the uniqueness of each country.
As an independent and sovereign country, Indonesia can follow the example of Qatar. The state of Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup Qatar dares to state that it has culture and that Qatar rejects LGBT. The international community can accept the peculiarities of Qatari culture.
Why didn’t Indonesia do that? Qatar is a small country but brave and capable. Indonesia as a big country is certainly more capable. Indonesia is respected in the West, and in the Middle East. Indonesia is honorable and don’t be underestimated as if we only hosted the U-20 world cup and then received the Israeli national team. It can’t be. We can take the example of Qatar, which will host the 2022 World Cup but its sovereignty and uniqueness are still recognized.
So Indonesia can reject the Israeli national team. We maintain our dignity and honor as an independent country. The sovereignty of any nation and state is recognized. At the time of Formula E and MotoGP in Lombok, when the prize presentation did not use Champagne. Turns out it can.
Then, why can’t we reject the Israeli national team? It should be possible, and the sovereignty of the nation is respected and there is no problem.
Therefore, with this refusal, we can correct the maneuvers that plunged Indonesia out of its constitution by subtly and gradually doing things that are easily judged as recognizing Israel even though it colonized Palestine, starting with acceptance of the Israeli national team.
MINA: What is your message to the public and government in addressing this issue?
HNW: The idea of rejecting all forms of relations with Israel is in accordance with the mandate of the Constitution, which rejects all forms of occupation, including Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
Therefore, in order to maintain Indonesia’s constitutional commitment in defending and upholding justice and rejecting colonialism, all elements of the nation, including the Indonesian government, should have one attitude, rejecting Israeli occupation with its various consequences.
It is important that the government pays attention to the public’s rejection and is consistent with the basic attitude of the Indonesian nation and state which rejects colonialism as stated in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution which is still valid and increasingly relevant at times like today.(T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
