Joint Press Conference MER-C, AWG, KISDI: Reject Israeli Football Team Come to Indonesia
Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian humanitarian MER-C (Medical Emergency Rescue Committee) together with AWG (Aqsa Working Group) and KISDI (Indonesian Committee for Islamic World Solidarity) held a Joint Press Conference themed “Don’t be Careless, Reject the Israeli National Football Team”, at the MER-C Headquarters at Jakarta on Wednesday.
Chairman of MER-C Presidium, dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad, said that this joint conference was held in order to strengthen the movement against the Israel National Football Team in the 2023 U-20 World Cup and continue to encourage the Government of Indonesia to have the courage to reject the Israel in accordance with the mandate of the Indonesian constitution.
“This press conference was held to appreciate the positive response of the Indonesian figures towards Palestine by firmly rejecting the Israeli National Team. We appreciate all parties, figures, including the Governor of Bali, the Governor of Central Java, and other officials and mass organizations who have shown their commitment to Palestine,” said Sarbini.
“This press conference is also to remind all of us who love the constitution not to be careless and to keep and guard so that the Israel National Football Team does not set foot in Indonesia,” he continued.
According to Sarbini, this attitude is actually nothing new desicion. Bung Karno, one of the founding fathers of this nation who strongly opposed colonialism, exemplified a similar attitude and firmness
He emphasized that FIFA was also not fair in this matter, as FIFA sanctioned Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. FIFA has banned the Russian National Football Team from appearing in all football competitions including the World Cup. Meanwhile, Israel, which has been colonizing Palestine, did not receive the same sanctions.
“We once proposed to the Government at the start of this case to open access and communication to Singapore. So, we asking the Government to reject Israel, but we give options such as Israel competing in Singapore. But this is not done by the government,” added Sarbini.
“Indeed, football, and politics should have no relationship, but in this context we see that Israel is an colonial entity. This is what we refuse. We hope that the Government, in this case the President of the Republic of Indonesia, will not hesitate and have the courage to follow what Bung Karno has decided!” he said.
The Rejection Has Been Done From the Beginning
In line with Sarbini, the Presidium of AWG M Ansorullah, stated that the rejection of the Israeli National Team was a consequence of Indonesia obeying the constitution and would actually increase Indonesia’s self-esteem, and prove Indonesia could not be intervened by foreign powers who wanted to impose their will.
“This is a test of the Indonesian people’s commitment to anti-colonialism according to the constitution,” he said.
He said the rejection of the Israeli national team was not late. Since the beginning of the news that the Israeli national team will be guaranteed a presence in Indonesia in June 2022, the rejection has been made.
“FIFA is the one who should be responsible for this commotion. We demand that they stop applying double standards,” said Anshorullah.
If the Israeli national team came, he continued, then the consequence that their flag would go up. Their national anthem will be played.
“In fact, for information, the lyrics of the Israeli Anthem contain calls only for the Jewish nation (racist). In the last stanza of their anthem, it states that the Jewish nation aspires to be independent in their land: Zion and Jerusalem.
He added that Israel was rejected, not because it was the fault of the Governor of Bali, MUI or the mass organizations that were demonstrating, Palestine and other parties, but because it was the fault of the Israeli state why they colonizing Palestine, became a racist state, killed and imprisoned innocent children and women and other various crimes.
“Don’t let the rejection of the Israeli national team make the Indonesian people fight each other, blaming each other and even being divided,” he said.
“If that happens, Israel’s goals have been successful. Because the Jewish nation is a nation that loves to divide unity (see Asbabun Nuzul QS. 3:103),” he continued.
FIFA Don’t Set A Double Standard
KISDI chairman HM Mursalin stated that his party asked FIFA not to have double standards and asked the Indonesian government to be consistent in upholding the mandate of the Constitution.
“What needs to be underlined is the Israeli team was rejected, not the U-20 World Cup, so Indonesia must be a host according to the provisions without the presence of the Israeli team in Indonesia,” said Nursalin.
According to him, the widespread rejection of the Israeli football team to Indonesia in the U-20 World Cup activities is proof of the people’s desire to obey the constitution. Indonesia’s position against Israel also has its own historical and enshrined in the constitution.
“The fact is that Indonesia has Foreign Ministerial Regulation No. 3/2019 which does not allow state of Israel to be in an official place, officially, it is not allowed to sing the national anthem and raise the Israeli flag or wear any attributes related to Israel,” he said.
Mursalin added that KISDI considered FIFA to be insensitive, FIFA should know that Indonesia did not have diplomatic relations. They should find a solution, specifically for the group with the Israeli team playing not in Indonesia.
So, he continued, if FIFA is consistent and does not apply double standards, then the holding of the U-20 World Cup will still be able to be carried out in a dignified manner like when FIFA imposed sanctions on Russia regarding the 2022 World Cup. So without involving the Russian football team, the world cup procession 2022 can still be held with quality and sportsmanship.
Citizens of world football already know how FIFA can accommodate some of the values held by Qatar as the host in organizing the 2022 World Cup. For example, such as the prohibition of alcohol in stadiums and the rejection of LGBT campaigns.
“So that the attitude of the Indonesian people who stand with Palestine and against the Israeli occupation can also be accommodated by establishing an Israeli team,” concluded Mursalin.
Approaching the prestigious U-20 World Cup match, the discourse of refusing and boycotting the Israeli national team to come and compete in Indonesia has begun to be widely voiced by the public.
Those who refused came from various elements and layers of society, across religions, across ethnic groups, across political parties, mass organizations, figures, officials and the general public. Everyone spoke out because of the same foundation, namely maintaining commitment to the constitution, anti-colonial attitude and love for humanity.(L/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
