Refusal of Athletes from the Entity of Jews: Is It a Real Test of Indonesia's Firm Stance?
Refusal of Athletes from the Entity of Jews: Is It a Real Test of Indonesia's Firm Stance?

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October 19, 2025

Refusal of Athletes from the Entity of Jews: Is It a Real Test of Indonesia's Firm Stance?

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

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The Gaza Ceasefire is a Cover for Preparing a New Reality with Blood and Rubble

The Gaza Ceasefire is a Cover for Preparing a New Reality with Blood and Rubble

News:

An Al Jazeera investigation based on satellite image analysis revealed patterns of systematic destruction carried out by the occupation in Gaza between October 10th and 30th.

The "Sanad" news verification agency of the Al Jazeera network monitored the demolitions, engineering destruction, and heavy aerial bombardment carried out by the occupation inside the sector since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. (Al Jazeera Net)

Comment:

After the announcement of the mined war ceasefire on the Gaza Strip, sponsored by Trump and in agreement with some Arab countries, it was clear that it was concluded in favor of the Jewish entity. This is evidenced by satellite image analysis and recent news reports, indicating that the Jewish army demolished thousands of buildings in Gaza, especially in Shuja'iyya and Khan Yunis in the areas under its control, as well as Rafah and the areas east of it, which witnessed extensive bulldozing operations.

The comprehensive destruction in Gaza is not random but carries far-reaching strategic goals, such as destroying the environment that incubates the resistance. Emptying Gaza of its infrastructure, schools, and housing makes it difficult for the resistance to reorganize itself or rebuild its capabilities. This is a long-term deterrent achieved by destroying capabilities and imposing a new reality that exhausts Gaza and leaves it economically paralyzed and uninhabitable, paving the way for accepting any political or security solutions, or even the idea of displacement. Because leaving Gaza in ruins makes it difficult for its people to rebuild it alone, countries and organizations will intervene with political conditions, and the occupation realizes that whoever rebuilds has the decision-making power. Today's destruction is for political control tomorrow!

In fact, describing the Gaza war ceasefire agreement as "mined" was not in vain, because it was partial and excluded alleged military targets, allowing the Jews to continue raids and destruction under security pretexts. It was also concluded by the largest supporter of the entity without strong international guarantees, making it fragile and susceptible to violation, especially in the absence of international accountability, which makes the Jewish entity above accountability.

How long will we remain a submissive, subservient, and watching nation over a weakened, exhausted, lost, and starved people?! And above all, permissible at all times?! Let us all be Saladin Al-Ayyubi, for Gaza today reminds the nation that Saladin was not just a brave individual, but a leader in a state that carries a project, owns an army, and has a united nation behind it. Therefore, the call to be Saladin does not mean individual heroism, but rather working to establish a state that makes all the sons of the nation soldiers in one rank under one banner.

Allah Almighty said: ﴿And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children﴾.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir Radio

Manal Umm Obaidah

Abdul Malik al-Houthi does not donate from his own money or his father's!

Abdul Malik al-Houthi does not donate from his own money or his father's!

News:

Yemen Sanaa TV broadcast the humanitarian program "My Homeland" on Wednesday evening, 11/12/2025. In the segment "We are with you," the program presented the case of a woman who contracted a rare disease and needs to travel to India at a cost of $80,000. $70,000 was collected from charities and benefactors, but the program presenter spent a long time praising the last donor of ten thousand dollars, which turned out to be Abdul Malik al-Houthi, and praised his repeated role in supporting the humanitarian cases that appear on the program.

Commentary:

In Islam, the ruler has a great responsibility, which is to take care of the people's affairs by spending on what benefits them and providing everything that gives them comfort. He is originally a servant to them and cannot enjoy life until he is reassured about their conditions. This task is not a favor or a concession, but rather a legal duty that Islam has obligated him to, and he is considered negligent if he neglects it. Islam has obligated the nation to hold him accountable for negligence. Peace and blessings be upon him, he said: "The Imam is a shepherd and he is responsible for his flock." Therefore, it is superficial to rejoice when rulers or the state pay attention to some needs and call that humanitarian work, when it is originally a mandatory pastoral work.

One of the most dangerous concepts that capitalism and its rule have established in the world is the state's disavowal of care and leaving the care of people to charitable institutions and associations run by individuals or groups, to which people often turn to help them and meet their needs. The idea of ​​associations first appeared in Europe during the World Wars, when many families lost their breadwinners and became in need of a sponsor, and the state, according to the capitalist democratic system, is not a caretaker of affairs, but rather a protector of freedoms only. The rich feared the revolution of the poor against them, so they established these associations.

Islam has made the existence of the Sultan obligatory to take care of the affairs of the nation, to preserve its legitimate rights, and to meet its six basic needs that must be satisfied for individuals and the community. Food, clothing and housing must be provided by the state to all members of the flock, individual by individual, Muslims and non-Muslims, and security, medical care and education are provided by the state free of charge to everyone. A man came to the Caliph of Muslims, Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, with his wife and his six daughters, and said: (O Omar, these are my six daughters and their mother, feed them, clothe them, and be for them a shield against time) Omar said: (What if I don't do that?!) The Bedouin said: (I will leave) Omar said: (What if you leave?) He said: (You will be asked about their condition on the Day of Resurrection, standing before God, either to hell or to paradise) Omar said: (This nation will not be lost as long as there are people like these in it).

O Muslims: This is not imagination, but rather Islam, which made care an obligation on the Caliph of the Muslims for every individual in the flock. The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: "The Imam is a shepherd and he is responsible for his flock." Therefore, we must restore these rulings and make them applicable. God Almighty said: ﴿Indeed, God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.﴾ What will change our condition to justice and prosperity is Islam.

Written for the radio of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir

Sadiq Al-Sarari