Government Lobbying FIFA on Israel: Has Submitted Conditions, but Not Accepted

The government is lobbying the International Football Federation (FIFA) as a result of the pros and cons regarding the participation of the Israeli national team in the 2023 U-20 World Cup which will be held in Indonesia. 

Acting Minister of Youth and Sports Muhadjir Effendy revealed that the government had submitted a number of conditions to FIFA regarding Israel's participation, but did not receive a positive response. 

"Yes, of course we regret that the conditions or conditions that we submitted to FIFA did not seem to get a chance," said Muhadjir at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Monday (27/3/2023). 

Muhadjir did not explain what conditions the government submitted to FIFA. 

He only said that the preconditions were put forward because the Government of Indonesia was also considering the constitutional mandate which stated that colonialism in the world must be abolished. 

"Therefore, if there is a country whose team we indicate is in that category there must be special prerequisites and that is what we are submitting to FIFA and it seems there is no common ground," said Muhadjir. 

Nevertheless, Muhadjir emphasized that this stance does not mean that Indonesia rejects Israel's presence on the grounds of obedience to the constitution. 

According to him, the prerequisites were put forward so that Israel's participation in the U20 World Cup would not be considered as violating the Indonesian constitution. 

"It doesn't mean that we reject his presence, and for that we have put forward several conditions to FIFA. He can be like this, like this, like this, like that," said Muhadjir. 

Even though he has not received a positive response, Muhadjir admits that he is still optimistic that Indonesia can hold the U20 World Cup as planned. 

He said PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir would fly to Zurich to lobby FIFA regarding the polemic over Israel's participation in the U20 World Cup. 

"We still hope for a change in attitude from FIFA and also we will try to accommodate various kinds of resistance from within," said Muhadjir. 

The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD added that the government would seek a way out regarding the polemic over Israel's participation. 

On the one hand, he stressed, Indonesia does not have and will not carry out diplomatic relations with Israel as long as Palestine is not yet independent. 

According to him, this attitude was voiced by President Soekarno through the United Nations (UN) forum, the Asian-African Conference (KAA), and even held the Games for Developing Countries (Ganefo) as a form of resistance to imperialism. 

On the other hand, Mahfud also emphasized that Indonesia wants to mingle in the international world and make sport one of its entry points. 

"We cultivate these two views so that Indonesia will remain victorious and prosperous, progressing, and will still not support Israel, will still support Palestinian independence, and will not open diplomatic relations with Israel as long as Palestine is not recognized as a state by Israel," said Mahfud. 

"Now, just wait for the next steps," he added. 

Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno hopes that the U-20 World Cup will still be held in Indonesia because the event can boost the number of foreign tourists to Indonesia. 

Sandiaga said the government had targeted 7.4 million foreign tourist visits and 1.4 billion domestic tourist movements this year. 

He said that this target was partly due to the holding of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as an international-class event. 

The former Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta said that the government has also prepared a number of tourism destinations and creative economic products as part of the event. 

"There are several large international events and the biggest is the FIFA World Cup U-20, so this will definitely have a very negative impact on achieving targets for foreign tourists and the movement of domestic tourists," said Sandiaga. 

Rejected by politicians, there is no question of Palestine

The fate of holding the U-20 World Cup in Indonesia is in question after FIFA canceled the group draw or draw which was due to be held in Bali on Friday (31/3/2023) this week. 

PSSI Executive Committee member Arya Sinulingga revealed that the cancellation of the draw could not be separated from the attitude of Bali Governor I Wayan Koster who refused Israel's participation in the U-20 World Cup. 

"Indeed, we have not received an official letter from FIFA, but the message is clear because of the rejection from the Governor of Bali who rejected the Israeli team, so that the draw itself cannot be held without all the participants," said Arya, Sunday (26/3/2023). 

Apart from Koster, a number of politicians and community organizations voiced opposition to the Israeli national team, including the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo. 

They generally reject Israel's presence on the grounds of commitment in supporting Palestinian independence which according to them is in line with President Bung Karno's mandate. 

However, the Palestinian Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia Zuhair Al Shun did not object to the participation of the Israeli national team. 

According to him, the participation of each country in this prestigious event has nothing to do with likes or dislikes. 

"Of course the participation of each country participating in this event has nothing to do with the issue of liking or disliking the participating countries," said Zuhair in a press conference at the Palestinian Embassy, ​​Jakarta, Wednesday (15/3/2023 ). 

Zuhair is of the view that Israel's presence in Indonesia is part of a competition that has been running with various rules in force. 

He also believes that the Indonesian government's support for Palestine will not change with Israel's participation. 

Professor of International Law at the University of Indonesia Hikmahanto Juwana also deplored the rejection by politicians and regional heads, even though Palestine does not question Israel's presence. 

"The refusal of the Israeli national team to compete in Indonesia seems to make Indonesia more Palestinian than Palestinian," said Hikmahanto in a written statement. 

According to him, this refusal seemed to view that it was forbidden for Israeli citizens or the country they represented to be present in Indonesia. 

In fact, said Hikmahanto, what Indonesia should oppose is the policy of the Israeli Zionist government which forcibly took and occupied the lands of the Palestinian people. 

Hikmahanto also views this refusal as groundless because in fact the Israeli delegation also attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly Session in Bali in March 2022. 

He said the situation for organizing the IPU was similar to the U-20 World Cup where Indonesia as the host had no control over who participated in the event. 

"As long as Indonesia has stated that it is willing to host, Indonesia must take the risk not to reject any members from international event organizers," said Hikmahanto.