PBNU: Don't Bring the Conflict in Palestine Into a Religious Dispute

PBNU General Chair Yahya Cholil Staquf after opening the R20 International Summit of Religious Authority (ISORA) in Jakarta, Monday (27/11/2023). (ANTARA/Asep Firmansyah)

JAKARTA - General Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board, Yahya Cholil Staquf, asked the public not to bring the issue of the conflict in Palestine into an inter-religious conflict in Indonesia.

"We ask that this community not bring the issue of the conflict in Palestine into the content of religious conflicts (in Indonesia)," said Yahya when met in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, November 27.

Gus Yahya, his nickname, emphasized that inter-religious conflict and its connection to the conflict in Palestine is not appropriate for it to occur in Indonesia.

"Don't do it, and it shouldn't be done," he stressed.

Gus Yahya asked all religious leaders in Indonesia to consolidate with each other so that the conflict in Palestine is not used as an excuse to cause inter-religious conflict in Indonesia.

However, he understands that everyone has tendencies and sentiments towards certain parties. However, he considers feeling angry without a solution to be useless.

"We concentrate all our efforts on achieving a solution, not just joining in the anger. If we join in the anger, this one gets angry for this, this one gets angry for the sake of the other, there is no way out. People still suffer, people still die," he said.

For this reason, he asked the residents of Bitung, North Sulawesi to stop the conflict that was occurring, because according to him, the conflict did not help anyone, hurt themselves, and only expanded the problem.

It is known that conflict between community groups occurred in Bitung on Saturday (25/11). Separately, North Sulawesi Regional Police Chief Inspector General Setyo Budiyanto said that the current condition of Bitung City is safe and under control.

"We convey to the entire community, especially those in Bitung City and generally the people of North Sulawesi as well as all Indonesian people, that as of tonight the situation and conditions in the Bitung City area are safe and under control," he said.