JAKARTA: Indonesia has denied visas to Israeli gymnasts, costing them a spot in a world championship in Jakarta this month, a sports official in the Southeast Asian nation said on Friday, amid outcry over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
The Israeli team was set to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics championship from October 19 to 25 in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
“They are confirmed to not be attending,” Ita Juliati, the chief of the Indonesian gymnastics federation, told reporters.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Indonesia decided not to issue visas to the Israeli athletes, senior legal affairs minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said, citing objections from groups such as a council of Islamic clerics and the government in Jakarta, the capital.
The decision is in line with Indonesia’s policy of having no ties with Israel until it recognizes “the independence and full sovereignty of the state of Palestine,” Yusril added in a statement on Friday.
The most recent Israeli campaign in Gaza, which began in October 2023 over an attack by Hamas and has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the enclave, has drawn criticism from Indonesia.
Israel launched the assault after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.
A recent Instagram post from the Indonesian gymnastics federation drew hundreds of pro-Palestinian comments from domestic users, days after an Israeli association said it would attend the Jakarta event.
Under the government of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia has softened its Israel stance slightly.
The world must have an independent Palestine, but also recognize and guarantee the safety and security of Israel, Prabowo told last month’s session of the United Nations General Assembly.
It is not the first sports-related dispute between the two countries.
In March 2023, FIFA dropped Indonesia as host of the Under-20 World Cup, citing failure to honor its commitments, after a regional governor refused to host the Israeli team.
Last month, UN experts called for FIFA and the Union of European Football to suspend Israel as a country team from international football, as “a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
Israel has dismissed accusations of genocide.
Indonesia denies visas to Israel gymnasts amid Gaza outcry
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Indonesia denies visas to Israel gymnasts amid Gaza outcry
- The Israeli team was set to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics championship from October 19 to 25 in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country
Pakistan’s cabinet approves Gwadar-Oman ferry service to boost trade, tourism
- In Aug., Pakistan granted its first-ever ferry service license to an international operator, Sea Keepers, for routes connecting with Gulf countries
- Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry says an Omani delegation will visit Pakistan to finalize arrangements regarding the ferry service
KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved a ferry service to Oman from the southwestern Pakistani port of Gwadar, the country’s maritime affairs minister said on Friday, saying the move is aimed at boosting trade and tourism.
The development comes months after Pakistan granted its first-ever ferry service license to an international operator, Sea Keepers, for routes connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries Iran.
Officials had hailed the move as a “historic step,” aligned with Pakistan’s National Maritime Policy, and emphasized the opportunity this license creates for boosting regional connectivity, tourism and economic activity via sea.
Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said Islamabad and Oman will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding the ferry link and the service will begin soon.
“An Omani delegation will visit Pakistan to finalize arrangements,” he said in a statement shared by his ministry. “New ferry route is expected to increase trade volume and investment. Travel will be easier for Pakistani expatriates.”
Besides trade, the ferry service will promote tourism and cultural ties, according to the maritime affairs minister. It will also reduce travel costs as compared to air transport.
“New maritime corridors will make Gwadar a new hub of economic activities,” he said. “Regional countries will get access to Central Asian markets [through the ferry link].”
Pakistan is currently making efforts to capitalize on its geostrategic location to boost trade and investment alongside tourism as it slowly recovers from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
The South Asian country also plans to cut container dwell time at its seaports by up to 70 percent to improve trade competitiveness and ease congestion. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are also considering linking their coastal destinations in a bid to boost marine tourism.
