Indonesia has announced it will prevent Israeli athletes from participating in the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, citing solidarity with Palestinians and global outrage over the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The Indonesian Minister of Justice, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, confirmed that no visas would be issued for the Israeli team, even following the recently declared ceasefire between the Israeli occupation and Hamas.

Mahendra explained that the decision aligns with repeated instructions from President Prabowo Subianto and follows the withdrawal of a sponsorship letter previously submitted by the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation for six Israeli athletes. Public opposition in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country had surged in response to the planned participation, with politicians and moderate Muslim organisations calling for Israel’s exclusion. Social media users also expressed widespread condemnation of allowing athletes representing a state responsible for the mass killing and blockade of Palestinians in Gaza.

This move is part of a broader trend of Israel’s growing international isolation in sports and culture. Recent examples include Israeli chess players withdrawing from a Spanish tournament and the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team severing ties with Tel Aviv following repeated pro-Palestinian protests during international competitions. Across these instances, Israel faces mounting pressure as countries and communities respond to the humanitarian catastrophe it has inflicted on Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians, mainly women and children, have been killed.