Indonesia is “read to recognise Israel” as part of a peace process in the Middle East, the country’s president has announced.
Prabowo Subianto said that his government would make the dramatic policy shift in the event that lawmakers in Jerusalem made the equivalent gesture for a Palestinian state.
Speaking alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, who is reported to be looking to announce his own nation’s recognition of Palestine next month, Subianto said that the move would help “achieve true peace”.
Indonesia is a majority-Muslim nation and has been largely hostile to Israel, with no formal diplomatic ties between the two.
Under the previous government of Joko Widodo there were low-level trade talks between Jakarta and Jerusalem and tourism was facilitated between the two countries.
There were even reports that Widodo’s administration had looked to normalise relations with Israel before the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Relations became more strained after the outbreak of the Gaza War, particularly after the IDF struck the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza, saying it was targeting Hamas infrastructure.
But during a joint press conference with Macron this morning, Subianto said: “The two-state solution and the freedom of Palestine is the only way to achieve the true peace.
"We must acknowledge and guarantee Israel’s rights as a sovereign country that must be paid attention to and guaranteed safety.
"Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel.”
Reports from last year suggested that the move was under consideration as part of an effort from Indonesia to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – the international grouping of developed democratic economies.
Subianto’s comments come as part of an apparent wider trend of states traditionally hostile to Israel looking to establish diplomatic ties.
The 2020 Abraham Accords set the ball rolling with the UAE and Bahrain both normalising relations with the Jewish State. Saudi Arabia was also reported to be considering a similar move, which was believed to have been one of the triggers for the October 7 attacks.
Even Syria, traditionally aligned with Iran and its proxies like Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is reportedly weighing up joining the Accords as its new president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, shifts his foreign policy westwards in return for the lifting of US sanctions.
