Indonesian Ulema Council asks the government to protect consumers from Israeli products
JAKARTA: Indonesia's Ulama Council on Tuesday called on the government to protect consumers from products linked to Israel, as imports surged despite the lack of diplomatic ties between Jakarta and Tel Aviv.
Indonesia has been one of the most vocal countries calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestine and an end to international military support and arms sales to Tel Aviv, especially since the start of Israel's deadly invasion of Gaza.
Campaigns calling for boycotts of companies with direct or alleged ties to Israeli institutions have also been regular events in the country, where many people see Palestinian statehood as constitutional.
In this context, many were shocked when the latest data from the country's Central Statistics Agency showed growing economic ties with Israel and imports to Indonesia exceeded $35 million between January and May.
While this amount 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, surpassing last year's total of $21.9 million. Official data also shows that Indonesia's exports to Israel reached more than $66 million as of May.
The growing volume of trade made national headlines earlier this month, prompting government action.
While the Foreign Ministry declined to comment on trade-related issues and the Commerce Ministry did not respond to questions about trade relations with Israel, the Council of Indonesian Ulama, or MUI, the country's highest religious body, said that ties Commercial “must stop.”
Dr. Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, head of MUI's foreign relations, told Arab News that the government should protect Indonesian consumers according to existing laws.
“We have a consumer protection law, so the government must follow it to protect consumers from Israeli products, whatever they are,” he said.
Weeks after the start of the Israeli invasion, the MUI issued a fatwa, or religious edict, prohibiting Indonesian Muslims from buying products that had anything to do with Israel.
Any business is sure to make a profit, and whatever the value of our imports from Israel, it is sure to make a profit. This financial benefit is what could potentially play an important role in funding Israel's major programs right now, Hakim said. Since Israel's main agenda right now is to end Palestine, let's not support it.
According to official estimates, Israeli ground and air strikes in the past nine months have killed more than 39,000 Palestinians in Gaza, although a study published earlier this month in the Lancet journal estimated that the actual death toll may be more than reach 186,000 people.
“The existence of trade relations, especially their growth, gives Israel the space to try other channels of relations with Indonesia, and this is dangerous. This will weaken Indonesia's morale in defending Palestine.”
Indonesian civil society members have also called on the government to stop trade relations with Israel.
To me, this is a hypocritical double standard. Mohammad Anshurullah from the Jakarta-based Al-Aqsa Working Group told Arab News: On the one hand, the government condemns the genocide of the Zionists and calls for a ceasefire, but on the other hand, it continues business relations.
“I ask the government to take strong steps… to stop business relations with Zionist Israel.”
Cecep Jasim, who coordinated the thousands-strong March for Gaza in West Java last November, said trade ties with Israel were at odds with Indonesia's stance on Palestine.
He said: “We want to stop all business activities with Israel… The government should categorically refuse any relations with Zionist Israel, so that Indonesia is not seen in both camps for its own benefit.”
The Indonesian branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for economic and trade pressure in opposition to Israel, also protested Indonesian-Israeli trade relations.
“BDS rejects Indonesia's trade relations with Israel in all its forms, that's clear. We call on the Ministry of Commerce to put an end to it… Given the growing volume, this is very unfortunate, especially In the midst of a genocide, such growth should not happen and must be corrected, BDS Indonesia President Mohammad Siyaoqi Hafez told Arab News.
Indonesia should not be satisfied with its existing position, it is not enough. There should be more, an intensification of the policy to deter Israel and not just defend Palestine. If Indonesia is sincere in its commitments, then it should be.”
Indonesia is not dependent on Israeli products and can find alternatives from other countries, said Madia Wahiu Askar, director of public policy at the Center for Economic and Legal Studies.
He told Arab News: “The government should seriously consider calls to boycott Israel-related products and even Israeli products, because such calls for boycotts are very effective in pressuring the private sector to stop cooperating with Israel.” It has no significant negative impact on Indonesia's economy.
Indonesia's imports between January and May 2024 were about $91 billion, which means that imports from Israel – most of which came via third countries – were less than 0.05 percent.
But for Israel, Indonesia has a “strategic value,” Askar said.
“In the next few years, Israel is expected to continue to find ways to influence Indonesia's political economy and normalize trade relations to gain global influence,” he said.
