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International Area Studies Review
[ Article ]
International Area Studies Review - Vol. 27, No. 2, pp.157-179
ISSN: 2233-8659 (Print)
Print publication date 01 Jun 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2024.27.2.157

Indonesia Should Recognise Israel? The Jokowi’s Last Dance to Host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup

Ali Maksum* ; Sitti Zarina Alimuddin ; Ahmad Sahide ; Muchammad Farid
Department of International Relations, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
International Relations Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
International Relations Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Department of International Relations, Universitas Pendidikan Muhammadiyah Sorong, Indonesia

Correspondence to: *Email: ali.maksum@fisipol.umy.ac.id

Abstract

While Indonesia’s bid to host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup ultimately fell through, it is crucial to scrutinise President Jokowi’s final attempts to persuade the Indonesian public. Jokowi’s stance on Israel’s involvement in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup has sparked speculation about Indonesia’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Through an examination of President Jokowi’s discourse, this research seeks to uncover the underlying political narratives, diplomatic strategies, and symbolic expressions that shape Indonesia’s response to this issue. Using discourse analysis, this article posits that President Jokowi utilises diverse linguistic and rhetorical devices to construct his response, navigating the delicate equilibrium between securing global recognition through hosting the event and reiterating Indonesia’s firm support for Palestinian independence. This study found that Jokowi’s political symbolism is ineffective in gaining international and domestic support. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sports politicization especially on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Keywords:

Indonesia, Jokowi, Palestine, Israel, FIFA U-20 World Cup

Acknowledgment

This research could not be realized without the generous support whether material or immaterial from Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta especially through the “Internal Research Grant FY 2023/2024.”

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Conflict of Interests

We declare that we have no conflicts of interest in this research.

Funding

The author(s) declare that there is no funding.

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