Leading Islamic groups warn against ties with Israel
JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of Indonesian Islamic groups sent a strong message yesterday against opening diplomatic relations with Israel, only weeks after a prominent Indonesian Moslem scholar urged Jakarta to reconsider its refusal of ties with the Jewish state.
"Just because Arafat and Rabin have shaken hands doesn't mean we can go jumping to the conclusion that it is time to open up relations," said Amien Rais, who heads the Muhammadiyah socio- cultural organization.
Speaking at the Al-Azhar mosque, Amien argued that tangible evidence still makes it impossible for such a relationship to be established.
He added that responding positively to a recent call by the head of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Abdurrahman Wahid, would be an affront to Indonesia's 1945 Constitution.
Abdurrahman, along with two other religious figures, went to Israel and attended the signing of the Israeli-Jordan peace agreement last month.
During his stay there, Abdurrahman, who heads the 34 million strong organization, reportedly also met with Israel's deputy foreign minister.
Upon his return home, Abdurrahman called on the government to reconsider its refusal to open diplomatic relations with Israel. His statements were immediately met with abhorrence from officials and religious leaders alike.
What promised to be a public discourse on the "Political Development of the Islamic World in the Middle East", organized by the Indonesian Committee for World Islamic Solidarity, quickly turned into a rally of some 500-people decrying Abdurrahman's actions.
The Director of Foreign Information Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Irawan Abidin, assured the restive crowd of the government's position when he stated that, "The Foreign Ministry holds firm in it's opinion that it is not yet time to engage in diplomatic relations."
He argued that based on the 1945 Constitution the government will not support any form of colonialism, such as Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
Although the speakers did not explicitly mention names, Abdurrahman's recent actions and comments urging Indonesia-Israel ties were often cited.
No benefit
The deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Ali Yafie, remarked that a visit by an Indonesian scholar to Israel was of no benefit to people here.
"If an Indonesian goes there then it is merely for the benefit of Israel," Ali said.
MUI also has condemned Abdurrahman's trip.
Ali added that from its inception, Israel has always been isolated. Thus it would be in their interest to attract the friendship of the country having the largest Moslem population.
According to Amien and Ali, despite the newly signed peace agreements, Israel has not proved its willingness to acknowledge the Palestinians as the rightful owners of the disputed land.
"Indonesia is not an adverse to peace, but the Palestinians must be given independence and their right to decide their own fate," Ali asserted.
Amien Rais also pointed out that the autonomy granted to the Palestinians by Israel in the Gaza strip was not a true measure of progress because Israeli soldiers still presided there and Jewish settlers in Gaza were excluded from Palestinian control and subject only to Israeli law.
He further lamented Israel's failure to comply with any United Nations resolution on the Palestinian issue.
Apart from the political arguments, Amien contended that there would be no economic benefits in ties with Israel.
"What can we expect from Israel?" he asked pointing out the fact that more could be gained from the population of the surrounding Arab countries, that reaches into the hundreds of millions, rather than from the population of Israel, which is little more than three million.