Indonesia’s top Islamic council has called for the cancellation of two upcoming concerts by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, arguing that his past support for Israel conflicts with the views of many in the Muslim-majority country.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the country’s highest and most influential body of Islamic scholars, demanded the cancellation of performances scheduled at the UNESCO-listed Borobudur Temple in Central Java’s Magelang city on October 31 and in Jakarta on November 3.
The council, which first announced its opposition on October 10, met with the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday to discuss Bocelli’s Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour Indonesia, including the concert at Borobudur, one of the country’s most iconic historical sites.
MUI said its objections stemmed from Bocelli’s past support for Israel, including his participation in a 2010 fundraiser in Los Angeles for Israeli forces and a concert in Tel Aviv in 2022.
“Giving a platform to a figure who has funded or supported military actions linked to humanitarian abuses in Gaza runs contrary to the values of the Indonesian nation and MUI’s religious guidance,” the council said in a statement.
Public sympathy for Palestinians is widespread in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. The government has long supported the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Tourism Ministry Secretary Bayu Aji said Wednesday’s discussions aimed to reach a consensus with MUI.
“The government’s stance is clear: we support Palestine, and there are directives from the MUI leaders that we will try to communicate further,” Aji said. “But if the MUI has already made a statement, we will certainly be aligned with the MUI’s decision.”
Pressure mounts over Borobudur concert
Police in Magelang withdrew on Wednesday a recommendation to issue a permit for the concert at the Borobudur complex, as opposition from several Islamic groups intensified.
Neither Bocelli nor the concert organisers had immediately issued a public response to MUI’s objections.
The Indonesian performances are part of Bocelli’s Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour, celebrating Romanza, the album that propelled the singer to international stardom and featured one of his signature songs, “Con Te Partiro”.
