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The door is closed to Israel until Palestine is free: Mahfud
Responding to the brouhaha related to the plan to allow the Israeli football team to play in the U-20 FIFA soccer World Cup scheduled for next month in Indonesia, Mahfud acknowledged that such a stance did complicate efforts to successfully host the tournament.
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Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Minister Mahfud MD (second right) accompanied by Home Minister Tito Karnavian (right), Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto (second left), and Natuna Regent Abdul Hamid Rizal (left) give a press statement after holding a meeting in Jakarta, on April 2, 2020). (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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oordinating Political, Legal and Security Minister Mahfud MD said on Monday that Indonesia would not work toward establishing diplomatic ties with Israel unless the Jewish state allowed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Responding to the brouhaha related to the plan to allow the Israeli football team to play in the U-20 FIFA soccer World Cup scheduled for next month in Indonesia, Mahfud acknowledged that such a stance did complicate efforts to successfully host the tournament.
"In principle, Indonesia doesn't have diplomatic relations with Israel and this will remain so until Palestine is free," Mahfud said, as quoted by Antara.
Mahfud said the principle was inherited from the country's first president Soekarno, who had campaigned to eradicate colonialism from Indonesia and the world.
"This is the stance proclaimed by Bung Karno. He made a speech about this at the United Nations, at the Asia-Africa Conference and in fact he set up the Games of the New Emerging Forces to fight imperialism. And for Bung Karno Israel was an imperialist power," Mahfud said.
Indonesia's plan to host the U-20 FIFA World Cup is now unraveling following world football governing body FIFA’s decision to cancel the draw for the tournament, scheduled for next week.
FIFA made the decision after Bali Governor Wayan Koster rejected participation by the Israeli team.
