Indonesia has denied visas to Israeli gymnasts scheduled to participate in the upcoming World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Jakarta, effectively barring their participation amid heightened global outrage over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The event, set to take place from October 19 to 25, has drawn attention not only for its athletic significance but also for the political undertones surrounding Indonesia’s decision.
According to Ita Juliati, the head of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation, “They are confirmed not to be attending.” The statement followed the government’s refusal to issue visas to the Israeli athletes, a move that reflects Indonesia’s long-standing diplomatic position on Palestine.
Senior legal affairs minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra confirmed the decision, stating that it came after strong objections from the Council of Islamic Clerics and other influential groups. He emphasized that Indonesia maintains no diplomatic relations with Israel and will not establish any until Israel recognises “the independence and full sovereignty of the state of Palestine.”
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has been a consistent supporter of the Palestinian cause. The latest Israeli assault on Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, has resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The violence has reignited anger across the Muslim world, including Indonesia.
This is not the first time Indonesia and Israel have clashed over sports. In 2023, FIFA stripped Indonesia of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup after it refused to allow Israel’s participation.
Despite a slightly softened tone under President Prabowo Subianto, who recently called for mutual recognition of both Palestine and Israel’s security, Indonesia’s latest move reaffirms its firm diplomatic stance and growing domestic solidarity with Gaza.
