Indonesia’s NU Leaders Demand Chairman Resign over Invitation to Pro-“Israel” US Scholar

By Staff, Agencies

Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama [NU], has called on its chairman, Yahya Cholil Staquf, to resign after he invited a US scholar known for defending “Israel’s” actions in Gaza.

According to minutes from a Thursday leadership meeting seen by Reuters, Staquf was given three days to step down or face dismissal.

NU official Najib Azca said the move was triggered by Staquf’s decision to invite former US State Department official Peter Berkowitz to an internal training session in August. “Affiliating with an international Zionist network is unacceptable and against our values,” Azca said.

Berkowitz has repeatedly defended “Israel’s” military operations in the occupied Palestinian territories and denied that the entity committed genocide. In an October op-ed, he argued that recognizing a Palestinian state “sets back security, stability and peace” and claimed such moves cater to growing Muslim populations in Western countries.

NU leaders said Staquf’s invitation boosted US-backed, pro-“Israel” messaging and clashed with Indonesia’s long-standing support for Palestinian rights. Staquf has since apologized, calling the invitation an oversight based on insufficient background checks.

The University of Indonesia also issued an apology after hosting Berkowitz a week later.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has consistently condemned “Israel’s” war crimes in Gaza. Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta said earlier this month that Jakarta’s commitment to Palestine is tied to a “historical debt,” noting that Palestine was among the first to recognize Indonesia’s independence.

Indonesia supported South Africa’s genocide case against “Israel” at the International Court of Justice but has not joined it, as the country is not a party to the Genocide Convention. Jakarta has instead filed its own ICJ suit over “Israel’s” violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.