The Indonesian Ulama Council urges the government to protect consumers from Israeli products
JAKARTA: The Council of Indonesian Ulama called on the government on Tuesday to protect consumers from products linked to Israel, as imports increased despite the lack of diplomatic relations between Jakarta and Tel Aviv. .
Indonesia has been one of the most prominent countries in demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and an end to international military support and arms sales to Tel Aviv, especially since the beginning of the deadly Israeli invasion of Gaza.
Campaigns calling for boycotts of companies with direct or perceived ties to Israeli institutions are also common in the country, where many people see Palestinian statehood as stated by its constitution.
In this context, many were shocked when the latest data from the country's Central Statistics Agency showed an increase in economic relations with Israel, with imports to Indonesia totaling more than $35 million between January and May.
Although the currency is not significant in Indonesia's overall trade volume, it is almost four times higher than the $8.85 million recorded in the same period in 2023 and exceeded the total of $ 21.9 million last year. Official data also shows that exports to Israel from Indonesia reached $66 million in May.
The increase in sales made national headlines earlier this month, prompting calls for the government to act.
While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on matters related to trade, and the Ministry of Commerce did not respond to questions about trade relations with Israel, the Council of Ulema said Indonesia, or MUI, which is the country's top religious organization, he said. but “must stop” commercial links.
MUI's head of foreign relations, Dr. told Arab News. Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, that the government must protect Indonesian consumers according to existing laws.
“We have the consumer protection law, so the government should follow it to protect consumers from Israeli products, whatever they are,” he said.
A week after the start of the Israeli invasion, the MUI issued a fatwa, or religious edict, banning Indonesian Muslims from buying products that have anything to do with Israel.
“Any trade will be profitable for sure, and whatever the value of the imports from Israel, there is obviously a profit. It is this financial advantage that can play a major role in financing Israel's current major programs,” Hakim said. “Since Israel's current agenda is to end Palestine, let's not support it.”
Israel's ground and air strikes over the past nine months have killed more than 39,000 Palestinian civilians in Gaza, according to official estimates, although a study published in the Lancet journal on At the beginning of this month, it was estimated that the actual number of dead could reach more than 186,000.
“The existence of trade relations, especially their growth, gives space for Israel to try other ways of dealing with Indonesia, and it is dangerous. It will weaken Indonesia's morale in defending Palestine.”
Members of civil society in Indonesia have called on the government to end trade ties with Israel.
“To me it's a double standard of hypocrisy. On the one hand, the government condemns the genocide of the Zionists and urges a cease-fire, but on the other hand continues trade relations,” said Muhammad Anshorullah from the Aqsa Working Group in Jakarta, to Arab News.
“I urge the government… to take decisive action as well… to end business ties with Zionist Israel.”
Cecep Jasim, who organized a march of thousands for Gaza in West Java last November, said that trade relations with Israel are at odds with Indonesia's attitude towards Palestine. .
“We call for the cessation of all trade activities with Israel… The government must strongly reject any kind of relationship with Zionist Israel, so that Indonesia does not appear to have a foot in both camps to to get special benefits,” he said.
The Indonesian chapter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for economic and trade pressure against Israel, has also protested Indonesia-Israel relations.
“BDS rejects Indonesia's relationship with Israel in any form, that is clear. The Ministry of Trade demands that it be stopped… Regarding the increase in money, it is very regrettable, especially since it is in the context of the ongoing genocide, this increase should not exist but must be corrected, “said the the head of BDS Indonesia, Muhammad Syauqi Hafiz, told Arab News.
“Indonesia should not be satisfied with its existing position, it is not enough. There must be more, a political escalation to try to stop Israel, not just to protect Palestine. This is how it should be done if Indonesia is sincere in its commitment.”
Media Wahyu Askar, director of public policy at the Center for Economic and Legal Studies, said that Indonesia is not dependent on Israeli products and can find alternatives from other countries.
“The government should seriously consider calls to boycott products related to Israel and even products from Israel, because calls for such boycotts are very effective in putting pressure on sectors that are not depends on suspending cooperation with Israel,” he told Arab News, adding that “there is no significant negative impact on the Indonesian economy.”
Indonesia's imports between January and May 2024 amounted to about 91 billion dollars, which means imports from Israel – most of which were made to third countries – less than 0.05 percent.
But for Israel, Indonesia has “strategic value,” Askar said.
“In the next few years, it is expected that Israel will continue to find ways to influence Indonesia's political economy and normalize trade relations to gain global influence,” he said.
