It was interesting being in Thailand when protesters shutdown the airport, now I am in world’s most populous Islamic country as a conflict has erupted between Palestine and Israel.
My friend showed me a leaflet that was being distributed, basically saying “fuck all Christians”. Demonstrations are being held in Jakarta and for some reason a KFC was attacked. I could understand it if they were attacking it for their fatty food, but how can they link it to problems in the middle east.
Free flights are being offered to Palestine for Indonesian muslims who are willing to go there to fight. The news reported that around 10,000 people were taking up the offer. The news here has been showing distressing scenes of buildings demolished and injured children in hospitals in Palestine. Obviously, nothing of what attacks might have been carried out by Palestinians in Israel.
The whole middle east situation has been going on for a long time with no end in sight, but it worries me when Islamic countries like Indonesia start to see it as a black and white, us against them, Muslim versus Christian/Jew problem.
And Indonesia wonders why tourism is down in the country.
