Israel will not join the IPU meeting: Akbar

Israel will not join the IPU meeting: Akbar

JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Wednesday
that the Israeli Knesset had canceled its plan to send a
delegation to attend the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference due
to begin here on Sunday.

The official reason given, through a facsimilied letter, was
due to increased tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in
recent days.

"We have just received an official letter from the Knesset
noting that they can not attend the conference due to security
reasons at their home," said House of Representatives Speaker
Akbar Tandjung who is due to chair the week-long conference.

However, the cancellation also avoids a potentially difficult
conundrum for Akbar as there have been mounting protests and even
threats of a boycott from legislators of Islamic based parties in
Indonesia should the Israeli delegation have been allowed to
attend the conference.

Akbar had earlier said that it would be hard to bar the
delegation since they are legitimate members of the IPU.

When asked if he believes the mounting protests from Muslim
groups here helped sway the decision, Akbar replied: "I don't
know exactly. But Israeli intelligence officers probably
influenced them because up to yesterday (Tuesday) morning their
participation was still firm."

He reiterated that as hosts Indonesia could not reject
Israel's participation, despite Jakarta not having diplomatic
ties and not recognizing the Israeli state.

But dozens of members of the Islamic Defender Army (LPI), who
met with Akbar on Wednesday to personally get confirmation of the
cancellation, still expressed skepticism and pledged to continue
monitoring the House compound and hotels in Jakarta during the
conference.

"We will continue patrolling hotels and the House compound to
ensure the Israeli delegation's absence," said an LPI member.

Numerous Muslim groups have staged demonstrations, protesting
the Israeli parliament's intention to attend the IPU conference.

The protests grew in the wake of bloody clashes in the West
Bank and Jerusalem that left dozens of Palestinians dead.

Legislator Iris Indira Murti of the Golkar Party believed the
cancellation was due, in part, to the increasing anti-Israel
sentiment here.

Iris, who has been appointed deputy chair of the Indonesian
delegation to the conference, said she could understand the
decision as the delegation would certainly be the subject of
condemnation from other delegations in the conference.

"You can imagine if the Israeli delegation were greeted by
massive demonstrations from Muslim groups and PLO supporters in
the conference," she said.

She said the Indonesian delegation would condemn Israel as its
official stance on the killing of Palestinians in the clashes is
clear.

From Jerusalem, Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Israeli
government warned its citizens against traveling to Muslim states
as Israeli-Palestinian clashes entered their 13th day and the
death toll from the violence climbed to 90.

"In light of the increasing risk in recent days for Israeli
tourists...it is recommended they refrain from trips, at this
stage, to Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Indonesia," a
statement from the Department for Fighting Terrorism, said.
(rms/jun)