Gus Dur meets Jewish group

JAKARTA: Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid held talks with a Jewish group in Australia during his visit to the country, despite a public outcry at home against Israel's offensive against Palestine.

Greg Barton, a lecturer at Deakin University in Australia and Gus Dur's biographer, said the Sydney-based Australian Israel and Jewish Council wanted to arrange the meeting with Gus Dur because "he (Gus Dur) is popular among the Australian Jewish community as a person who promotes tolerance among people".

The meeting took place on Thursday, with Gus Dur discussing with the group the Muslim world's view of recent events, according to Barton.

Barton said Gus Dur lashed out at Israel for its offensive, but at the same time criticized Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for failing to take firmer action against Palestinian hard-line groups.

Sponsored by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Gus Dur, also a former chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, visited Australia to promote the biography of him written by Barton. -- Antara