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Indonesia's Ulema Council (MUI), the country's influential Islamic religious authority, has opposed upcoming concerts by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli over his alleged support for Israel, prompting the Tourism Ministry to announce that it would comply with the council's decision.
The objection was raised during a meeting between MUI representatives and government officials, who discussed Bocelli's scheduled performances in Magelang on Oct. 31 and the capital, Jakarta, on Nov. 3.
Council members argued that the internationally renowned singer, songwriter and composer should not perform in the Muslim-majority country, citing his previous statements and appearances that they described as supportive of Israel.
In a written statement, the MUI pointed to Bocelli's participation in a fundraising event for Israel held in Los Angeles in 2010, as well as his concert in Tel Aviv in 2022.
The council argued that allowing an artist it associated with support for Israeli military operations in Gaza to perform would conflict with Indonesia's national values and the council's religious guidance.
"Giving a platform to a figure who has funded or supported military actions linked to humanitarian abuses in Gaza runs contrary to the values of the Indonesian nation and MUI’s religious guidance," the council said.
Following the council's objections, Indonesia's Tourism Ministry indicated that it would abide by the MUI's position on Bocelli's scheduled performances.
Tourism Ministry Secretary Bayu Aji reaffirmed the government's support for Palestine and said officials would work to communicate the council leadership's instructions in greater detail.
“The government’s stance is clear: we support Palestine, and there are directives from the MUI leaders that we will try to communicate further,” Aji said, ”But if the MUI has already made a statement, we will certainly be aligned with the MUI’s decision.”
The statements did not specify whether Bocelli's scheduled concerts had officially been canceled.
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