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Jakarta hopeful for future of Palestine with next US administration
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ndonesia is hoping for better prospects for the Israel-Palestine peace process following the recent election defeat of United States President Donald Trump, who has been pushing his pro-Israel “deal of the century”, a senior Foreign Ministry official and experts have said.
Former ambassador to Jordan and Palestine Andy Rachmianto said the victory of Joe Biden in the US election earlier this month would improve prospects, because the two-state solution was expected to return as the basis for the peace process in the Middle East.
“I think the consequence may be that Trump's deal of the century is no longer relevant,” Andy, who now holds a senior post at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, said on Sunday in a webinar to commemorate Palestine’s declaration of independence in 1988.
“Secondly, the peace process will be resumed, and I think the US will take the lead as mediator, together with the other members of the Quartet [of peace negotiators] -- Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.”
Since assuming office in 2016, Trump has taken a very pro-Israel stance with policies that have often outraged Palestinians, including when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Trump also moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, cut US assistance for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and, most significantly, introduced “the deal of century” earlier this year.
The proposal, which had not been discussed with any Palestinians, laid out a vision for establishing an independent Palestinian state while also formalizing Israeli sovereignty over settlements built in the occupied territory.
Andy said Indonesia's position would not change following the change of administration in Washington, as it was committed to supporting Palestine and would continue until an independent state of Palestine became a reality.
He said Indonesia would continue to support a two-state solution as the basis for the peace process, which would also include convening an international conference under the auspices of the Quartet plus some key regional countries, such as Jordan, Egypt, Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
“Indonesia would condemn any plan of annexations by Israel in the West Bank, because that would be an illegal move in violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions,” he said.
Leading Islamic scholar Azyumardi Azra said that, with the election victory of Biden, Indonesian and Palestinian leaders needed to build momentum for a fairer solution to the Palestine question.
“We are very hopeful that the [next] president of the US will bring a more balanced approach to the Palestinian state and Palestinian people, because we know that, during the presidency of Donald Trump, the situation of the Palestinian state and the Palestinian nation became miserable,” he said.
Azyumardi noted that some Indonesian figures had opined that, in order to create peace, it was necessary to talk not only to the Palestinians but also to the Israelis.
“If Indonesia wants to play a peacemaking role in Palestine, we need to consider the possibility of Indonesia talking with the Israelis,” he said.
Marzuki Darusman, former attorney general and the UN investigator on Myanmar, said Indonesia should welcome the call by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for an international conference early next year.
“It is very timely [to bring] the Palestine question back into the debate [and refocus on] the issue, which has been marginalized and localized over these years, and that has led to growing intellectual frustration in our quest to find solutions to the challenges,” he said.
