Last month, President Joko Widodo’s office denied media reports that Jakarta and Tel Aviv had intended to normalise relations in October 2023, before the Oct 7 Hamas attack in Israel and the resulting war against Hamas in Gaza caused the plan to be shelved.
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH ISRAEL A CONDITION FOR OECD MEMBERSHIP?
Several leading Israeli news outlets have reported that Indonesia has agreed to normalise relations with Israel as a condition for joining the OECD.
The groundwork for this agreement was laid during three months of secret negotiations involving Jakarta, Tel Aviv and OECD secretary-general Mathias Cormann, they reported.
The reports added that Indonesia has agreed to a clause stating that it must establish diplomatic relations with Israel before its membership is approved by the organisation.
“I am pleased to announce the Council has officially agreed to the clear and explicit early conditions according to which Indonesia must establish diplomatic relations with all OECD member countries before any decision is made to admit it to the OECD,” Mr Cormann wrote in a letter issued two weeks ago to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, according to news outlet Yedioth Ahronoth. The letter was reportedly approved by Indonesia.
In his reply to Mr Cormann on Wednesday, Mr Katz welcomed the breakthrough. “I share your expectation that this process will constitute a change for Indonesia, as I anticipate a positive change in its policy toward Israel, especially abandoning its hostile policy toward it, leading the path to full diplomatic relations between all sides.”
According to an unnamed Israeli official, the normalisation of relations between Indonesia and Israel would be significant amid ongoing anti-Israel sentiment due to its military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Source: CNA
