Indonesia Not Interested in Having Diplomatic Ties with Israel; Here's Why

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia declared its independence in 1945 while Israel proclaimed its state establishment in 1948. Even though the time is not that far apart, Indonesia has never established diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

Indonesia is one of many countries that do not recognize Israel's sovereignty since its establishment. The reason is, territorially, the land occupied by Israel belongs to Palestine.

As quoted from Antara, Senior Pastor Rick Wiles from Flowing Streams Church, Florida, United States, revealed that the Palestinians are the legal owners of the land according to the Bible. 

In a widely viral YouTube video, he showed off his 1905 edition of the Old Testament or Holy Bible that displayed a map of Palestine, instead of Israel. 

Israel started colonizing Palestine in the 1900s. The polemic was exacerbated as the United Nations approved a plan to divide the Palestinian territories into Jewish and Arab states in 1947. A year later Israel declared a state by acquiring the Palestinian territories.

According to Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid, the founding fathers of Indonesia understood that defending Palestine is a commitment and implementation of the opening mandate of the 1945 Constitution.

“This is a fundamental norm for the nation, besides the first paragraph of the opening of the 1945 Constitution states that independence is the inalienable right of all nations, therefore, all colonialism must be abolished in this world’,” said Hidayat on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, quoted from mpr.go.id.

The first Indonesian President Soekarno also did not invite Israel to the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, West Java, as a form of support for the struggle of the Palestinian people to gain independence.

According to the National Committee of Indonesian Youth (KNPI) chairman Haris Pertama, the relationship between Indonesia and Israel is stipulated in the Foreign Affairs Ministerial Regulation No. 3 of 2019 on general guidelines for foreign relations by regional governments. Article 150 states that Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

“And oppose Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and people,” said Haris in a written statement, Wednesday, March 15, as quoted from Antara.

In 2020, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that Indonesia had no plans to carry out diplomatic relations with Israel.

“As a follow-up to the President's order to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I convey that until now there is no intention for Indonesia to open diplomatic relations with Israel,” said Retno in a press briefing from Jakarta, Wednesday, December 16, 2020.

“Indonesia's support for the independence of Palestine based on a two-state solution and other agreed international parameters will consistently be implemented,” Retno Marsudi said.

HENDRIK KHOIRUL MUHID

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