Donald Trump's Jerusalem recognition prompts Indonesian clerics urge boycott amid protests
Updated
Tens of thousands of Muslims have marched from the main mosque in Jakarta to a square to protest against US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Key points:
- Protesters marched peacefully for about 3 kilometres to the US embassy
- About 20,000 security forces were deployed to secure the rally
- The Indonesian President has strongly condemned Mr Trump's move as a violation of UN resolutions
Muslim clerics also called for a boycott of American products, in the country's biggest protest since Mr Trump's controversial move earlier this month to reverse decades of US policy.
An estimated 80,000 people rallied in the capital of the world's largest Muslim nation in the 10th straight day of protests.
Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said the protesters marched peacefully about 3 kilometres from the National Monument Park to the US embassy.
Some local media reported the number of the demonstrators was double the police estimate.
About 20,000 security forces were deployed to secure the rally.
Anwar Abbas, a top cleric from the Indonesian Council of Ulema, read a petition due to be handed to the US ambassador in Indonesia, calling on Indonesians to stop buying American and Israeli products until Mr Trump reversed his decision.
"Don't rely on their products," he said, as the crowd including men, women and children responded by waving Indonesian and Palestinian flags and shouting "boycott!".
"We urge all countries to reject the unilateral and illegal decision of President Donald Trump to make Jerusalem Israel's capital."
Previous anti-American protests have unsuccessfully lobbied for a boycott of US goods.
Many of the protesters were clad in white and waved Palestinian flags and held up placards, some reading: "Peace, love and free Palestine" and "Indonesia unites for Palestine".
In the petition, the clerics urged Mr Trump to immediately revoke his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital because it has hurt international justice, violated human rights of the Palestinians and undermined peace efforts.
It also demanded nations not follow the US in moving their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and urged the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session to discuss Mr Trump's declaration.
The chairman of the clerics council, Ma'ruf Amin, said: "Let's fight together with the Government and the world for the freedom of Palestine through political, diplomatic and economic ways."
Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has strongly condemned Mr Trump's move as a violation of UN resolutions.
Indonesia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and has long been a strong supporter of Palestinian aspirations for a statehood.
Mr Trump's announcement broke a longstanding international consensus, that the fate of Jerusalem be decided as a part of a peace deal between Israel and Palestinians.
Israeli and Palestinian claims to the city's eastern sector form the core of their conflict, and Mr Trump's announcement was seen as siding with the Israelis.
Reuters/AP
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, territorial-disputes, government-and-politics, indonesia, asia, palestinian-territory-occupied, israel
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