Gus Dur accepts offer to join Israeli institute

SURABAYA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the country's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has accepted an offer to join the Jerusalem-based Simon Peres Institute.

Abdurahman, better known as Gus Dur, said after a post-Idul Fitri gathering of 5,000 parents and students at the Khadijah girls boarding school here Saturday that he had confirmed his acceptance to the former Israeli prime minister.

However Abdurrahman declined to elaborate on the status of his membership within the independent organization which deals with regional and international affairs.

"Don't ask me the details. I have agreed to become one of the organization's members, that's all," he said.

He said he would fly to Israel's capital in October to meet with Peres and for his induction into the institute.

Abdurrahman, renowned as a controversial figure, has led the 30-million-member NU since 1984.

He made his first visit to Israel in 1994 during which he delivered a lecture at Tel Aviv University.

Abdurrahman said he had assessed the public reaction to his decision to accept the offer. "Take it easy. There are people opposing and supporting me as always," he said.

A legislator of the dominant political group Golkar, Abu Hasan Sazili, threw his weight behind Abdurrahman's decision to join the Israeli organization, saying Abdurrahman would be an asset to Indonesia's participation in the establishment of peace in the Middle East.

Abdurrahman denied he would need the government's consent to join the institute. "I'm just becoming a member of an institute of studies," he said.

Indonesia, the world's largest Moslem country, does not have diplomatic ties with the Jewish government. Peres, as foreign affairs minister, was behind former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's unprecedented meeting with President Soeharto here in 1993.

Abdurrahman disclosed the Simon Peres Institute's offer during a visit in Bandar Lampung last Wednesday.

Peres said in his letter that he was asking Abdurrahman to join his organization after a thorough study of the Indonesian's attitude, outlook and perseverance in helping to build peace through religion.

Abdurrahman said he would have refused the invitation if his three dead mentors Chudori Tegalrejo, Abd. Fattah Hasyim and Idris had appeared in his dreams and told him not to accept. (nur/amd)