Thousands stage anti-Israel demo in Jakarta

Jang/The News ^ | April 11, 2002

[RealistOne]

JAKARTA: Thousands of people in Indonesia's West Nusa Tenggara province staged a rally on Wednesday to protest Israel's sweeping military offensive in Palestine.

The demonstrators, mostly Muslim students, marched to the local legislative assembly building, dragging and stamping on the Israeli flag, the state Antara news agency reported. They made speeches at intersections condemning the Israeli attacks on Palestine and asked for donations from motorists, cyclists and pedestrians for the Palestinians.

The anti-Israeli rally was the biggest ever of its kind in the province and caused traffic congestion. Chairman of the provincial branch of the Justice Party, Johan Rosihan, called on Muslims across the world to help the Palestinians' struggle against Israel.

"This is a manifestation of our solidarity as Muslims, so that Allah may give strength to the Palestinians so they could free themselves from Zionist Israel's cruelty," he was quoted as saying. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been burning Israeli flags and effigies of Israeli leader Ariel Sharon almost daily in cities across Indonesia, the world's most populous -- but secular -- Muslim country.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, a radical Muslim preacher accused by Singapore and Malaysia of having links to the al-Qaeda terror network, implored protestors in the central Javanese city of Solo on Tuesday to take up arms against Israel.

"There is no compromise of dialogue with the Israelis. They are Islam's greatest enemy... there is only one path to deal with Israel, that is fight them with weapons and wage jihad (holy war)," Ba'asyri, who heads the Indonesian Mujahedin Council, was quoted as saying by Satunet online news.

The cleric, who runs an Islamic boarding school in Solo, also announced he had established the Free Palestinian Commando group which would soon open registrations for jihad volunteers bound for the West Bank.

Jakarta -- while condemning the Israeli action _ has urged would-be volunteers not to travel to the Palestinian territories to fight against Israel. Vice President Hamzah Haz, who heads Indonesia's largest and oldest Muslim party, has urged pro-Palestinian sympathisers to offer humanitarian aid and prayers instead of fighters.

On Wednesday Haz promised that the government would send medicine, medical teams and funds to help besieged Palestinians, according to Habib Hussein al Habsy, the head of the hardline Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood.

[Victor]

My, my, my....these peace-loving Muslims are coming out of the woodwork all over the world, aren't they?

Looks as if Israel is a lightning rod for the near future.

God save the Israelis...the Holocaust taught them a thing or two about anti-Semitism; now they are seeing it on a grand scale.

The Germans maybe were the most vocal about it during the Nazi era, but it's beginning to look as though a lot of the "civilized" world views Israel as some sort of leper colony.

Wisely, Israel has built up tremendous capability. The God of Israel will not let them down.

Armeggedon, anyone?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Busy this week.

[Cachelot]

Armeggedon, anyone?

About time for cleaning house :).

[montag813]

Please post pictures. The post-9/11 "rally" they had there was very revealing, with teenage girls holding their "Kill all Jews" signs. Lovely how the peaceful influence of Islam can bring joy even to island inhabitants 5,000 miles away.

[Wm Bach]

"This is a manifestation of our solidarity as Muslims, so that Allah may give strength to the Palestinians so they could free themselves from Zionist Israel's cruelty," he was quoted as saying. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been burning Israeli flags and effigies of Israeli leader Ariel Sharon almost daily in cities across Indonesia, the world's most populous -- but secular -- Muslim country.

Translation: "We're too stupid to make our own contries work, so we'll jump up and down like enraged chimps with sticks and pound on our favorite scapegoat, Israel, for making us look bad."

[freedomson]

What goes around comes around 10 times worse.

If you're not a muslim lady, you sure make violent threats like one.

[USMMA_83]

Ah, a islamofascist amongst us?

[dennisw]

Where are the photos///??? The Muslim babes there are *HOT*!

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Indonesian Muslim students chant "Allahu Akbar!" (God is great) during a demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Monday, April 8, 2002. Hundreds of Muslims held demonstrations Monday against the Israeli offensive in Palestinian territories. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

 

A group of Indonesian Muslim high school student chant anti-Israel slogans during a protest outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta, April 8,2002. Indonesian Muslim groups rallied in the streets of Jakarta protesting the Israeli military's continued strikes against Palestinians. REUTERS/Beawiharta

[MaggieMay]

You are of the deluded one world breed. The Islamic extremists are inciting mayhemm in Lebanon, Indonesia, the Sudan, and have been training the KLA in the Balkins. Pacifism did not work against Hitler and it will not curb the Muslim's oath to destroy us. Now go take your philosophical hara kiri somewhere else.

[Stultis]

"This is a manifestation of our solidarity as Muslims..."

What an idiot. Islamo-speak to earth-speak translation:

"Even after a thousand years, and at thousands of miles distance, the Arabs are our puppet masters. We willingly place distinctively Arab political concerns above and before our own national and regional interests, and credulously accept our Masters' cynical pretence that their blood-spattered and hate-driven tribal politics carry religious sanction."