To Boycott or Not To Boycott: Ulama Council Sends Mixed Signals Over Israel-Related Products in Indonesia

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The talks about boycotting Israel-related products have been rising in Indonesia since the war in Gaza started. Public in Indonesia are mostly unanimous in its support toward Palestinians, and some products are facing boycotts for their alleged support for Israel's war in Gaza.

The brands that face boycotts are including McDonald's and Starbucks.

The Ulama Council of Indonesia (MUI), however, sends a mixed signal over the boycott. The organization has the power to issue halal certificates in Indonesia, but they stated they never released encouragement to boycott the products. 

Their latest statement contradicts the viral information that shows the list of products to boycott because MUI was thought to support it. 

"So, MUI has no competency to release the [names of] Israel products, or which are affiliated to Israel. And what we say haram is not about the products, but the supporting activities [toward Israel's actions]," said the Secretary of Fatwa Commission, Miftahul Huda, in his statement, Wednesday (15/11/2023).

The halal certificates are given when products, whether foods or cosmetics, are proven to be made of halal components. Huda explained when a product already has a halal certificate, it is not easy to revoke it. 

"To be clear, MUI has never released that list of products. That is from another party, not MUI. We did not release it," said Huda.

The mixed signal still continues after another high official within MUI stated that the organization still opens a possibility to actually revoke the halal certificate. 

Their basis is to revoke the halal certificates for the products whose profits are allegedly flowing to Israel. 

"We will discuss again how their products, which already receive halal labels, that their profits are used to buy war machines," said Deputy Secretary General of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at MUI, Ikhsan Abdullah, on Wednesday.

Ikhsan has promised the reviewing shall be done immediately. But again, he stated that having no halal certificate does not automatically make the product haram.

"What is revoked is the halal certificates, different from being haram. Having halal certificates revoked does not necessarily mean haram. But it does not have halal certificates," said Ikhsan.

Last week, the holder of McDonald's franchise in Indonesia (Rekso National Food) donated 1,5 billion rupiah to charity in order to support humanitarian aid in Palestine.

The aid was given to the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) which operated under the government. The head of BAZNAS, Noor Achmad, warmly welcomed the donation from McDonald's. 

"As the government's representative in giving aid, we welcome with open hands for whoever has good intentions and wants to help. Together, this support and help, we hope can give goodness to the citizens in Palestine, " said Noor Achmad as quoted by McDonald's Indonesia website.

Jonathan Pandapotan Purba and Fachrur Rozie contributed to this report.