JakartaPost-Apr 12, 2024
The government has denied that it has any plans to normalize ties with Israel and underlined that it would remain consistent in being “at the forefront” of defending the rights of Palestinians. It has been suggested that establishing diplomatic ties with Israel would ease Indonesia’s accession to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “I stress that until now, there is no plan to open diplomatic relations with Israel, especially amid the country’s atrocities in Gaza at present. Indonesia’s position has not changed, [and] we continue to support Palestinian independence within the framework of a two-state solution,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lalu Muhammad Iqbal said on Thursday. Lalu also explained that Indonesia would implement a road map for OECD accession in May, adding that it would take “a long time” for the country to fulfill all requirements. Earlier in the day, several Israeli media outlets reported that Indonesia was ready to normalize ties with the Middle Eastern country as part of its bid to join the OECD. The reports cited a letter from OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, which allegedly stmated that the OECD Council had agreed to a condition requiring Indonesia to establish diplomatic relations with all member countries, including Israel, before making any decision to admit the country into the organization. Indonesia has long supported an independent Palestinian state and along with other countries in Southeast Asia, has condemned Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip. It has also engaged in diplomatic efforts to urge a permanent cease-fire and wider access to humanitarian assistance. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/04/12/government-denies-israeli-reports-on-normalizing-ties.html.
