Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation has also betrayed Palestine

by Dr. Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat

Hundreds of people gathered at National Monument in Jakarta on Sunday, August 03, 2025 for a Pro-Palestinians demonstration. [Agoes Rudianto – Anadolu Agency]

On 24 August, I wrote an op-ed condemning Universitas Indonesia (UI) for the deeply disturbing decision to invite Peter Berkowitz, an unapologetic defender of Israel’s violent occupation of Palestine, to speak at its graduate orientation. However, as appalling as UI’s choice was, it pales in comparison to the even more egregious decision made by Indonesia’s largest and most influential Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), just one week earlier. NU, an institution that claims to represent millions of Indonesians and Muslims worldwide, invited Berkowitz to speak at its leadership academy—a decision that exposes a catastrophic failure of judgment, ethics, and responsibility.

NU is not just a Muslim organisation; it is the bedrock of Indonesia’s religious and social landscape. For generations, it has been a symbol of justice, compassion, and solidarity—especially for Palestine, whose plight has been embraced by the Indonesian people as a struggle for liberation against the most brutal forms of colonialism and oppression. To invite someone like Peter Berkowitz—someone who has spent his career justifying Israeli war crimes and perpetuating the genocide of Palestinians—is not just a mistake. It is an outright betrayal of the very values that NU claims to uphold.

Berkowitz is not some neutral academic or expert on human rights. He is an active defender of Israel’s apartheid regime, its military campaigns, and its unrelenting occupation of Palestinian land. He has spent years rationalising the systematic oppression of Palestinians, dismissing their right to resistance, and whitewashing Israel’s ongoing war crimes. His writings repeatedly endorse violence against civilians, and his record is one of unrelenting support for policies that dehumanise an entire people. That someone with such a clear agenda of defending genocide and occupation would be invited to speak by NU—an organisation that claims to represent the oppressed—is nothing short of unconscionable.

Some might argue that NU’s invitation to Berkowitz was a mere “intellectual engagement,” a chance to hear diverse viewpoints on human rights and international law. But this argument is not only naïve; it is morally bankrupt. This is not a question of academic freedom or dialogue. There are some ideas that should never be allowed to gain any legitimacy. There are some voices that should never be amplified, especially when they advocate for the subjugation and annihilation of an entire people. By inviting Berkowitz, NU has lent its credibility to a man who defends the massacre of Palestinians—a move that shows a complete disregard for both the moral principles of Islam and the ethical responsibility of being a global Muslim leader.

The true betrayal here is not just to Palestine, but to the very essence of Islam and the values that should guide every Muslim. The teachings of Islam urge us to stand with the oppressed, to defend the innocent, and to reject tyranny and violence in all its forms. The ummah, the collective brotherhood of Muslims, is supposed to be a source of solidarity and compassion—a reminder that when one part of the community suffers, the entire community suffers. Yet, NU’s decision to provide a platform to someone who unapologetically supports the brutal occupation of Palestinian lands directly undermines this sacred responsibility.

Indonesia has long been a beacon of hope for Palestinians, its people standing resolutely against the forces of colonialism and oppression. The Indonesian Constitution itself enshrines the rejection of colonialism, affirming that “colonialism must be abolished because it is incompatible with humanity and justice.” And yet, here we have NU—Indonesia’s most powerful Muslim organisation—inviting someone who defends the very colonial practices that Indonesia fought so hard to eliminate. This is not just an oversight; it is a moral collapse.

By giving Berkowitz a platform, NU has sent a disastrous message to its followers and to the world: that the lives of Palestinians, their suffering, and their fight for justice are open to debate. NU has implied that defending the rights of the oppressed is just another political opinion, and that those who stand for genocide and occupation should be treated with the same respect. This is a travesty. There is no “debate” when it comes to genocide. There is no “neutral” position when it comes to supporting the liberation of an oppressed people.

What is particularly galling is that NU’s leadership should know better. As an organisation that has long positioned itself as a defender of human rights and justice, NU’s decision to invite Berkowitz exposes a disturbing moral blindness. It risks aligning itself with the very forces of oppression that it once proudly opposed. What does it say about NU’s moral compass when it extends an invitation to a man who justifies war crimes, who defends the systematic murder of innocent civilians, and who supports the ongoing theft of Palestinian land?

This is not just a political failure for NU—it is a moral and spiritual failure. Islam teaches that justice is not optional; it is a fundamental duty. It is a duty to defend the weak, to speak for those whose voices are silenced, and to reject all forms of oppression. By inviting Berkowitz, NU has abdicated that responsibility. It has chosen to ally itself with those who perpetuate violence and injustice, turning its back on the very principles of compassion, mercy, and justice that should define its mission.

This is a moment of reckoning for NU. It must ask itself: what does it stand for? Is it an organisation committed to justice and solidarity, or has it become just another voice in the chorus of those who seek to justify and normalise oppression? If NU is to remain a true leader of the Muslim world, it must acknowledge this failure and take immediate action to reaffirm its commitment to the values of justice, peace, and solidarity with the oppressed.

The people of Indonesia—and Muslims around the world—deserve better than this. NU must do more than apologise. It must renounce the invitation to Peter Berkowitz and publicly reaffirm its support for Palestine and the rights of the oppressed. If NU truly believes in the principles of Islam, it must prove that it is willing to act on them, even when it is difficult, and even when it is politically costly. For the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of its own moral integrity, NU must choose justice over appeasement and solidarity with the oppressed over complicity with the oppressors.