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Indonesia defies call to normalize ties with Israel
Indonesia continues to elude Israeli calls for the normalization of ties, with state officials reiterating the country’s unwavering support for Palestinian independence.
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (left) meets with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki at Indonesia’s permanent representative office in New York, the United States, in 2020. (Courtesy of Foreign Ministry/-)
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ver a year ago, the United States led the signing of the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic ties between Israel and several nations from the Islamic world.
However, formal relations with Indonesia continue to elude the Jewish state, with local officials reiterating the country’s unwavering support for Palestine.
Made possible under the Donald Trump administration, the Abraham Accords was signed in September 2020 between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, followed by Sudan and Morocco a few months later.
Under a new administration in Washington, Israeli officials are still expressing hope that it can continue to expand the list of countries to sign up for the economically incentivized agreement, including Indonesia, whose 270 million-strong population are mostly Muslim and staunch supporters of Palestinian independence.
A few weeks after the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Jakarta in early December 2021, it was reported that Blinken had raised the question of Indonesia establishing diplomatic ties with Israel during his meeting with Foreign Minister LP Retno Marsudi.
The ministry was quick to respond by suggesting that the minister had reiterated Indonesia's official stance to Blinken.
Retno emphasized the pledge in her annual foreign policy speech last week, albeit almost in passing, insisting that “Indonesia’s commitment to assisting in the struggle of the Palestinian people will continue to prevail”.
