Indonesia Draws Line: No Gymnastics for Child-Killing States
Al Jazeera reports Indonesian officials cited 'technical issues' while implicitly reflecting a broader sentiment. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, maintains no diplomatic ties with Israel, a policy rooted in solidarity with Palestine. This isn't just about gymnastics; it's a consistent refusal to normalize a state engaged in what numerous international bodies and human rights
organizations, such as B'Tselem and Human Rights Watch, have labeled apartheid and collective punishment. While athletes are often told to "keep politics out of sports," one might ask if the architects of displacement and occupation have earned their right to a neutral playing field. How many gold medals can truly gloss over the daily reality of those in Gaza or the West Bank? It seems some
nations still recall that 'political' actions have 'political' consequences, even if the US State Department prefers diplomatic full-splits.