Indonesia denies visas to Israel gymnasts amid Gaza outcry

WebDesk October 10, 2025 2 minutes read

Indonesia Bars Israeli Gymnasts from World Championships in Solidarity with Palestine
Jakarta | October 10, 2025 — AFP / NNP News Desk

Indonesia has denied visas to Israeli gymnasts scheduled to compete in the 53rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta later this month, effectively barring the team from participation. The move comes amid growing domestic anger over Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza.

The event, set to take place from October 19 to 25 at Indonesia Arena, will proceed without the Israeli delegation.
“They are confirmed to not be attending,” said Ita Yuliati, president of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation (IGF), during a press conference alongside Raja Sapta Oktohari, head of the Indonesian Olympic Committee.

Senior Legal Affairs Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra confirmed that the government decided not to issue visas to Israeli athletes following objections from major religious organizations, including Indonesia’s council of Islamic clerics.
“The policy is consistent with Indonesia’s position of not establishing diplomatic relations with Israel until it recognises the independence and full sovereignty of Palestine,” Yusril stated.

Indonesia — the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation — has long supported the Palestinian cause. Public sentiment has intensified following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began in October 2023 and has since killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The offensive followed a Hamas-led attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.

An Instagram post by the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation this week drew a wave of pro-Palestinian comments after reports surfaced that Israeli athletes might attend the Jakarta championship.

While President Prabowo Subianto has recently signaled a more balanced tone — acknowledging both Palestinian independence and Israel’s right to security during his address to the United Nations General Assembly — Jakarta’s decision underscores that Indonesia’s policy of non-recognition toward Israel remains unchanged.

This is not the first sports-related dispute between the two nations. In March 2023, FIFA stripped Indonesia of its hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup after local authorities refused to host the Israeli team.

Last month, UN human rights experts urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football, calling it a “necessary response” to alleged war crimes and the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza — claims that Israel has strongly denied.