Macaronis Resort sits on a small island in the Mentawai Islands, off Sumatra, Indonesia, famous among surfers for its powerful wave. In late August 2026, it became the subject of a different kind of attention when claims spread on Indonesian social media that it was secretly owned by a man linked to Israel.

The man at the centre is Natan Baril, a Brazilian lawyer and businessman who founded and runs his own law firm, Baril Advogados. He has also held leadership roles in a Brazilian Jewish business association, and was formerly president of a Jewish community fund in Curitiba tied to a group that raises money for projects in Israel. He is Jewish and follows official Israeli accounts, including Netanyahu, the State of Israel, and the IDF, and has posted photos of himself with public figures including Israeli President Isaac Herzog — details that help explain why the allegation gained traction as Israel’s genocide on Gaza has made Israeli connections highly sensitive across Indonesia and the wider Muslim world.

The concern was first raised by an account called gazaupdate, which pointed to Baril’s Instagram bio listing the Macaronis Resort account, his repeated visits, and the resort’s own posts tagging him. The resort had previously described him in a post as a lawyer from Brazil and a Macaronis Resort owner.

Indonesian authorities examined the claim. West Sumatra’s investment office checked the records of PT Internusa Bahagia, which operates the resort, and said Baril’s name does not appear as owner, shareholder or manager. Mentawai officials said he is a regular guest visiting three or four times a year to surf, and reporting on the company’s records identifies foreign investment, including a shareholder from Namibia. That evidence matters — but it doesn’t necessarily answer every question about his relationship with the........

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