August 27, 2025 | 06:30 am
The General Chair of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) Yahya Cholil Staquf, also known as Gus Yahya, apologized to the public for inviting an academician named Peter Berkowitz as a speaker at the Nahdlatul Ulama National Leadership Academy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday, August 15, 2025.
Yahya admitted that he was not aware that the academic they invited was a vocal advocate of Zionism in Palestine. "I sincerely apologize to the public for making a decision without careful and thorough consideration regarding Peter Berkowitz," he told Tempo at his residence in South Jakarta on Tuesday night, August 26, 2025.
Yahya explained that PBNU invited the researcher from The Hoover Institutions, Stanford University, purely due to their interest in Peter Berkowitz's research. Yahya mentioned that he has known Peter for quite some time, since 2020.
At that time, Yahya knew Peter as a member of the Commission on Unalienable Rights at the United States Department of State, who had a deep understanding of human rights. That's why Yahya invited Peter in the hope that NU officials could gain a broader knowledge of human rights. "That's what made me interested. I didn't pay much attention to his Zionist affairs," he said.
Furthermore, Yahya continued, in this leadership academy, PBNU did not only invite Peter Berkowitz. They also invited other renowned academics from various countries. According to him, the agenda was part of the organization's weekly program aimed at equipping NU cadres with comprehensive knowledge of global conditions and various global issues.
Yahya ensured that Peter's presence in the midst of the forum did not in the slightest touch on the issue of Israel. PBNU, he said, would not deliberately attempt to spread Zionist ideals to the public. He also emphasized that NU's stance would never change, which is to reject all forms of oppression by Israel and support justice for the Palestinian people. "That's our principle."
Peter Berkowitz's presence among the NU officials had previously sparked public condemnation. This is because Peter Berkowitz is known as an academic who strongly defends Israel. One instance is when Berkowitz was interviewed by Michael Cromartie for Paw Research Center in 2006.
During the interview, Berkowitz explained a brief history of Zionism and asserted the importance of the sustained Zionist movement. Berkowitz also discussed the internal and external challenges faced by Israel, as well as the potential nuclear capabilities of Iran, the rise of "post-Zionist" ideology in Israel, and the failure of politics.
Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article.
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