Indonesia Denies Reports Of Possible Diplomatic Ties With Israel

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Jakarta says it has no plans to forge diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv in light of Israel’s ‘cruelty in Gaza’. (Wikipedia pic)PETALING JAYA: Indonesia’s foreign ministry has denied a report by an Israeli news portal that Jakarta could normalise ties with Tel Aviv in its bid to enter the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The ministry’s spokesman, Lalu Iqbal, said the republic was consistent with its stance on not establishing diplomatic ties with Israel until a two-state solution is achieved, according to reports in Indonesian media.
The two-state solution is a proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples, namely Israel for the Jewish people, and Palestine for the Palestinians.
“We will not open diplomatic relations with Israel until Palestine gains its independence through two-state solutions.
“This policy is enshrined by our constitution that is against colonisation,” Lalu was quoted as saying.
There were also no plans to forge diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv in light of Israel’s “cruelty in Gaza”, he said.
Earlier today, the Times of Israel reported that the world’s most populous Muslim nation could normalise ties with Israel in its bid to enter the OECD.
Quoting an unnamed Indonesian officer, the news outlet confirmed another report by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth that detailed the secretive talks among Tel Aviv, Jakarta and OECD secretary-general Mathias Cormann.
The report by the Times of Israel comes barely a month after an aide to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had quashed speculation that Indonesia planned to open bilateral relations with Israel.
It has been previously reported that the OECD had begun the process of accepting Indonesia into the forum in February, but the process was halted by Israel’s objection due to the lack of diplomatic relations. - FMT

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