SBY's proposed side visit to Israel<\/p>\n
Emanuel Shahaf's reasoning behind President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono's proposed side visit to Israel whom the former claims
\nwould represent the views of the world's biggest Muslim country
\non the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (The Jakarta Post, July 19:
\nSusilo should visit Israel too) is merely an oversimplification
\nof facts and argument.<\/p>\n
One fact that needs to be understood is that even though the
\nmajority of Indonesians embrace Islam most are overwhelmingly
\nnationalistic and secularistic rather than theocratic. Indonesia
\nhas never pursued a policy that is discriminative toward any
\ncountry's social, religious or political affiliation, for it had
\nin the past -- until the present -- advocated a policy of non-
\nalignment and non-discrimination.<\/p>\n
As the world experienced a heated debate concerning \"religious
\nextremism\" post the September 11 bombings in New York, Indonesia
\nwas swift enough to distance itself from the discourse by
\nstressing that acts of terror neither reflect nor represent a
\nparticular religion.<\/p>\n
Palestine's continuing struggle for a separate and free
\nhomeland is solid evidence that independence transcends religious
\nvalues for it is the most basic right of any nation as indicated
\nin the recent Declaration of the New Asian-African Strategic
\nPartnership in April this year.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is indeed a mainstay of Islamic moderation, progress
\nand democracy. Nevertheless, Indonesia cannot simply ignore the
\nvoices of freedom in Palestine. Therefore, the real issue is
\nabout foreign occupation and the right of the Palestinian
\npeople to self-determination.<\/p>\n
KAMAPRADIPTA I.
\nJakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sbys-proposed-side-visit-to-israel-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}