Indonesia’s top Muslim council opposes upcoming Andrea Bocelli concerts over Israel ties

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s top Islamic council met with government officials Wednesday to voice its opposition to two upcoming concerts by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli , arguing that the singer’s past support for Israel is incompatible with the views of many in the Muslim-majority country.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI, the country’s highest and most influential body of Islamic scholars, demanded the cancellation of Bocelli’s scheduled performances at the UNESCO-listed Borobudur Temple in Central Java’s Magelang city on Oct. 31 and in the capital Jakarta on Nov. 3.

The council, which initially announced its opposition on Oct. 10, met with Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to discuss Bocelli’s Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour Indonesia, including the Borobudur performance at one of Indonesia’s most iconic historical sites.

The council said its objection is in response to Bocelli’s past support for Israel, including his participation in a 2010 fundraiser in Los Angeles for the Israel Defense Forces and a 2022 concert in Tel Aviv.

“Giving a platform to a figure who has…