Why Indonesians should boycott the Israel & New Breed concert in Jakarta

On 24 October, the American gospel singer Israel Houghton plans to perform in Jakarta with his band, Israel & New Breed. Reports say tickets are still on sale. Indonesians must not buy them. Anyone who fills that hall is giving a public welcome to a man who stood with Israel while Gaza burned. We must refuse to attend, refuse to applaud, and refuse to stay silent.

A note first, because the name confuses many people. “Israel” is the singer’s first name, and he is American. His name is not the problem. His public words are. In October 2023, he posted “I stand with Israel” beside a flag. The reports I found quote that post. None quote him speaking up for the people of Gaza, not once. He took a side, and he took it loudly. He cannot now ask Indonesians to pretend they did not hear him.

A concert is a public stage. It gives fame, money and a warm welcome to the person on it, and a welcome is a message. When thousands of Indonesians buy tickets and cheer, we tell him that his stand costs him nothing here.

That is unacceptable. Our money must never reward people who stand with a government that a United Nations inquiry has called guilty of genocide.

Indonesia has never been neutral on this. Our constitution says colonialism must be abolished because it violates justice. We have no diplomatic ties with Israel. In 2023, our top Islamic clerical body, MUI, urged Muslims to avoid products and companies that support Israel. A boycott is that same belief, lived every day. It needs no weapons and no violence. It demands one thing: do not fund those who side with the oppressor.

We are not alone. Public figures such as Chiki Fawzi and Wanda Hamidah have called for a boycott of this concert. In Malaysia, police in Sabah said they would advise postponing his show there after the public complained. Around the world, many artists have asked their labels to block their music in Israel. They are giving up money and fans for a principle. If they can pay that price, Indonesian audiences can give up one night.

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Every ticket is a vote, and nobody can say they had no choice. Fans decide who gets a sold-out night. Sponsors decide whose name goes on the poster. Venues decide who gets the stage. Anyone who profits from this show has chosen the side of a man who chose Israel. History will remember who helped him and who said no.

Indonesia has a proud record of standing up when it counts. In 1955, we hosted the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung and told the world that no nation should rule over another. That spirit lives in every Indonesian who checks a label, skips a brand or tears up a ticket because it goes against conscience. Canceling this concert would be one more chapter in that story.

Silence is not neutral. When a famous man takes a side and a whole country lets him sell out a hall, the message is that his choice carries no cost. A boycott is how a people replies. It is a clear and public no, spoken in the one language that every promoter understands.

So here is what ordinary people must do. Do not buy a ticket. If you already have one, demand a refund. Ask the venue and the sponsors why they back this show, and refuse vague answers. Share your reasons with friends and family. These steps are simple and legal, and they hit hardest when many people act together.

The organizers can end this today. They can cancel the show, and the venue, the promoter and the sponsors all have the power to say no. The public is watching what they choose. If they do not, they are choosing his comfort over the conscience of millions of Indonesians, and they deserve every empty seat.

Say no with your wallet and your words. Do not buy the ticket, and tell your friends why. Twenty-four October will be empty of our money, and full of our message.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.