Kabar Gemerlap - In a detailed statement, the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) has clarified that its opposition to Andrea Bocelli's concert in Indonesia is not based on religious principles but on ethical and humanitarian considerations. The MUI highlighted concerns over Bocelli's alleged involvement in fundraising for the Israeli military through the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) in 2010.
Ketua MUI Bidang Hubungan Luar Negeri dan Kerja Sama Internasional, Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, emphasized that the decision was misinterpreted as a religious stance. "Our rejection is not about his music or his faith," Sudarnoto stated. "It stems from his historical ties to military fundraising."
The MUI referenced its Fatwa No. 83 of 2023, which prohibits support for Israel and its affiliates. Sudarnoto argued that Bocelli's participation in the FIDF event aligned him with the Israeli military, which he described as a "machine of killing."
Four key demands were outlined by MUI: rejecting the concert, urging the government to revoke permits, promoting non-Zionist creative economy initiatives, and requesting respect for MUI's stance from Bocelli's management.