Indonesia Council Seeks Ban on Two Bocelli Concerts

Indonesia’s top Islamic council, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), is urging the government to cancel Andrea Bocelli’s planned Oct. 31 performance at Borobudur Temple and Nov. 3 concert in Jakarta. The council says Bocelli’s past support for Israel—including a 2010 fundraiser for the Israel Defense Forces and a 2022 performance in Tel Aviv—conflicts with Indonesia’s solidarity with Palestinians; some accounts also cite a 2023 letter supporting the release of Israeli hostages. Tourism Ministry officials met with the MUI and said the government would seek consensus and align with the council’s position, while police in Magelang withdrew a recommendation to permit the Borobudur concert. The dispute comes amid widespread public support for Palestinians and reports that authorities recently blocked a Jakarta concert by U.S. gospel singer Israel Houghton over his public support for Israel.