Jakarta – As Israel's two-week offensive in Gaza continues, massive anti-Israel and anti-US rallies have been taking place across Indonesia. Muslim protesters also sealed off a Jewish synagogue in Surabaya, East Java and have threatened to boycott American products in the province.
On Thursday, a crowd of 500 protesters gathered outside the US Consulate in Jakarta to express their solidarity for the Palestinian people and condemn the Israeli attacks, which have killed an estimated 770 Palestinians, including many children. Fourteen Israelis have died since Israel began its offensive to end Hamas rocket attacks against it from Gaza.
Brandishing anti-Israel and anti-US banners through the main streets in front of the governor's office and crowded shopping centres, protesters in Surabaya moved on the nearby synagogue.
They held a forum there that later ended with the burning of Israeli and American flags and the sealing off of the synagogue.
Rally coordinator Abdusshomad Buchori said the group would organise a massive movement against US citizens, Jews and American products such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's fast food outlets in the city until the attacks in Gaza were halted.
"If Israel doesn't stop its attacks on the Palestinian people immediately, we will conduct raids on sympathisers, supporters and Israeli agents in the province," he said.
The rally continued peacefully as more than 300 riot police were deployed to the area.
Following the synagogue closure, the demonstrators then moved on KFC and McDonald's outlets at the nearby Plaza Surabaya, calling for a boycott of the American products.
The demonstrators also demanded the government intensify diplomatic efforts with the UN and the international community to "stop the bloodshed" and get humanitarian relief to the Palestinian people.
The United Nations Security Council late on Thursday passed a resolution calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire in Gaza followed by a complete withdrawal of Israel forces from the aid-dependent territory. The United States abstained from the 14-0 vote, weakening its impact of the resolution.