Protests against Israel’s participation were also held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta last week by conservative Islamic groups.
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, with about 277 million people, and it does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
However, Indonesian soccer and public authorities agreed to FIFA’s hosting requirements in 2019 before being selected to host the 2021 edition of the Under-20 World Cup. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the tournament to be postponed for two years.
Israel qualified last June for its first-ever Under-20 World Cup when it reached the semifinals of the Under-19 European Championship. The team went on to lose the final to England.
FIFA declined to comment Sunday on the draw being postponed just eight weeks before the opening game.
If Indonesia fails to resolve its hosting issues over Israel, the national soccer federation risks being suspended by FIFA. That sanction can remove Indonesia from Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup that starts in October.
The Indonesia soccer federation president is Erick Thohir, a former co-owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. He is also a former president of Inter Milan, the storied Italian soccer club whose fans include FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Thohir and Infantino are also both members of the International Olympic Committee.