Indonesia president: We’re willing to recognize Israel if it recognizes a Palestinian state, we must guarantee Israel’s rights and safety

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto says he would be willing to establish diplomatic relations with Israel if it recognizes a Palestinian state.

He makes the statement amid talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in capital Jakarta.

“The two-state solution and the freedom of Palestine is the only way to achieve the true peace. We must acknowledge and guarantee Israel’s rights as a sovereign country that must be paid attention to and guaranteed safety. Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognizes Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognize Israel,” he tells a news conference.

Under previous Indonesian president Joko Widodo, Indonesia tolerated low-level, quiet contacts with Israel, mainly on trade, but largely shunned open ties with the Jewish state.

Last year, Widodo’s office denied a report that Jakarta and Jerusalem had intended to normalize relations in October 2023 but the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the resulting war caused the plan to be shelved.

Indonesia has reportedly examined normalizing ties with Israel to smooth its entry to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Moves toward normalization between the countries have been rumored for years, but Indonesia has refused to cement ties until an independent Palestinian state is established and has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinians. The country has a tiny Jewish community.

Anti-Israel protests are common in Indonesia, where support for the Palestinians runs high.