Refusal of Athletes from the Entity of Jews: Is It a Real Test of Indonesia's Firm Stance?
News:
The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeals of the Gymnastics Federation of the Entity of Jews regarding the participation of its athletes in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, from October 19 to 25, 2025. The Indonesian government refused to grant entry visas to six athletes from the Entity of Jews, in support of Palestine and in response to internal pressure. The Gymnastics Federation of the Entity of Jews submitted appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the International Gymnastics Federation to ensure participation or cancel the tournament. The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeals, and the International Gymnastics Federation confirmed that it has no authority over visa decisions. Indonesia reaffirmed its position in line with its foreign policy and local public opinion. (en.antaranews.com)
Comment:
Indonesia's decision to refuse the participation of athletes from the Entity of Jews in the World Gymnastics Championships is a commendable step, as it reflects a firm stance by Indonesia towards the Entity of Jews. This step should be considered a starting point for taking a firm and consistent position against the presence of the Entity of Jews in Indonesia, not only in the field of sports, but also in the fields of economy, tourism, education, and others.
Although Indonesia has always affirmed its strong support for the independence of Palestine and does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with the Entity of Jews, informal relations still exist. In recent years, a number of athletes from the Entity of Jews have participated in tournaments held in Indonesia, including Misha Zilberman, a badminton player who participated in the 2015 World Championships in Jakarta, Yuval Shemla, a rock climber who participated in the 2022 Climbing World Cup in Jakarta, and Mikhail Yakovlev, a cyclist who won the bronze medal in the 2023 Cycling Nations Cup. A delegation from the parliament of the Entity of Jews also attended the 144th Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Bali in 2022, although it was not formally invited by Indonesia.
From a commercial point of view, trade activities between Indonesia and the Entity of Jews are still ongoing through third parties such as Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2024, Indonesia's imports from the Entity of Jews amounted to approximately US$54.2 million, including mechanical machinery, electrical equipment, optical and pharmaceutical products. Meanwhile, Indonesia's exports to the Entity of Jews amounted to approximately US$236 million, the most prominent of which were leather shoes, palm oil, and textile products. Likewise, in the tourism sector, thousands of people from the Entity of Jews were allowed to visit Indonesia, and many Indonesians travel to it.
These data show that Indonesia's position towards the Entity of Jews has not been entirely firm. Therefore, the recent refusal of its athletes should be a first step towards a consistent and comprehensive policy against it in all fields. However, if this decision is not followed by similar positions in other areas, this raises an important question: Was the decision motivated by genuine solidarity with Palestine, or did it only come in response to public opinion rejecting the presence of the Entity of Jews in Indonesia?
It would be unfortunate if the reason was only popular pressure, because that would mean that Indonesia's position towards Palestine lacks seriousness, and that Indonesia is no different from other countries that support Palestine in rhetoric while actually maintaining relations with the Entity of Jews.
This position should be a call for reflection for the Indonesian people, to continue to pressure the government for consistency between words and deeds. It should also be a lesson for all Islamic countries that as long as the existing regimes are prisoners of narrow national interests, humanitarian issues and the issues of the Islamic nation will remain marginalized. Therefore, Muslims should not limit their struggle to short-term issues, but rather strive to establish an Islamic rule that truly adheres to their interests throughout the world.
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir
Abdullah Aswar