JakartaPost-June 4, 2024
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi reiterated Indonesia’s commitment in fighting for the Palestinian cause, underlining that the country would not cease its efforts to call for a permanent cease-fire and global recognition of Palestinian statehood. “This principle of consistency isn’t easy,” Retno said on Monday during a public lecture at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta. “It’s extremely challenging to [uphold] such a principle in a disorganized world filled with pressure from all directions and the lure of various transactions.” The minister did not elaborate on the latter part of her statement, including whether the government had received any offers to change its stance on the Palestinian cause, only acknowledging that Muslim countries had been pressured to normalize their ties with Israel. Retno also said Indonesia’s support for Palestine was mandated in the 1945 Constitution, so the impending change of government was unlikely to alter the country’s policy stance. “Indonesia’s fight for Palestine has a long way to go, and it requires obstinacy and consistency,” the minister said, expressing her confidence that the incoming government would stay the course. Since Israel declared war on Hamas following an attack on Israeli soil by the Palestinian militant group on Oct. 7, 2023, Indonesia has ramped up its diplomatic efforts to push for a permanent cease-fire, unhindered access to humanitarian aid in Gaza and full Palestinian membership at the United Nations. Indonesian efforts over the past seven months included shuttle diplomacy to various European countries with other members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as conditions in Gaza worsened. The largest Southeast Asian nation and the world’s largest Muslim-majority country has no diplomatic ties with Israel. Analysts previously suggested that massive grassroots support for Palestine among the Indonesian public would not allow the government to establish relations with Israel, as any attempts to do so could lead to political chaos. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2024/06/04/indonesia-wont-normalize-israeli-ties-retno-says.html.
