Indonesia's Muslim clerics call for boycott of US products over Jerusalem move

Tens of thousands of Indonesians marched through the capital Jakarta on Sunday to protest against US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

It was the largest protest in Indonesia since Trump's controversial move earlier in the month, reversing decades of US policy.

US President Donald Trump announced his recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and outlined plans to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move has been widely condemned in the Arab world and internationally.

Police estimated 80,000 Indonesians took to the street, in the tenth straight day of protests. Protesters held up Palestinian flags and placards reading, "peace, love and free Palestine", and the majority were clad in white.

Muslim clerics called for a boycott of American products during the protest. Anwar Abbas, a top cleric from the Indonesian Council of Ulema, read a petition calling on Indonesians to stop buying US-made products until Trump makes a u-turn.

"We urge all countries to reject the unilateral and illegal decision of President Donald Trump to make Jerusalem Israel’s capital," Abbas told the crowd.  

"We call on all Indonesian people to boycott US and Israel products in this country if Trump does not revoked his action," Abbas added.

The petition will be presented to the US ambassador in Indonesia.

It also demanded nations not follow the US in moving their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and urged the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session to discuss Trump's declaration.

The chairman of the clerics council, Maruf Amin, said "let's fight together with the government and the world for the freedom of Palestine through political, diplomatic and economic ways".

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has strongly condemned Trump's move as a violation of UN resolutions.

Indonesia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and has long been a strong supporter of Palestinian aspirations for a statehood.

Calls for an American boycott are not new. Last week, Saudis took to twitter to call for a boycott of American restaurants.

Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, a position nearly the entire world rejects saying its status should be determined in peace talks with the Palestinians.