Search for Israeli missing in Indonesia complicated by lack of formal ties

Aviv Meshil, 23, hasn’t been seen since Monday, when he went surfing off Nusa Lembongan, southeast of Bali; Foreign Ministry said to be coordinating with local authorities

By ToI Staff 20 June 2019, 2:34 pm

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Aviv Meshil, 23, who is missing since he went surfing off the coast of Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia on June 17, 2019 (Facebook)

A specialist maritime team is due to arrive in Indonesia Thursday evening to aid in the search for an Israeli who has been missing for three days, in a situation complicated by the fact that Jerusalem and Jakarta do not have formal diplomatic relations.

Aviv Meshil, 23, from the central town of Kfar Saba, has been missing since he went surfing on Monday off the coast of Nusa Lembongan, a small island to the southeast of Bali.

Meshil traveled to Indonesia on his American passport so Israeli authorities were reportedly unaware of the situation until Wednesday. In a Facebook post, Meshil’s sister Sivan said the family was receiving only a little help from US authorities.

A search and rescue team is looking for Meshil, and the Foreign Ministry is in coordination with local authorities, the Walla news site reported.

Last October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wanted to promote diplomatic ties with Indonesia, the country with the world’s largest Muslim population.