Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin affirmed that his country will not establish any diplomatic relations with Israel until a comprehensive settlement is reached, ensuring an independent state for the Palestinians.
Speaking from New Zealand, he stated that Indonesia would continue to support the Palestinian people’s struggle at international, regional, and judicial forums.
Ma’ruf emphasized Indonesia’s commitment to being part of the solution and not a source of problems, urging the New Zealand government to collaborate on international efforts aimed at ceasing hostilities, delivering aid to Palestinians, and ending the Israeli occupation.
He described Israel as the world’s largest prison for the Palestinian people, condemning the ongoing assaults on the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded.
He reminded that Indonesia’s stance on the Palestinian issue has remained unchanged since the Asia-Africa Conference held in Indonesia in 1955.
These statements came in response to a recent article by the American Jewish site “Jewish Insider,” which claimed that Indonesia was on the path to normalizing relations with Israel before October 7 last year.
The Indonesian Presidential Palace denied any intentions to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, with the Presidential Staff Office Coordinator Ari Dwi Bayana clarifying that the report’s claims were inaccurate.
He firmly refuted the news that President Joko Widodo, whose second term ends this coming October, had sent a special envoy to discuss establishing communication channels with Israel to normalize relations.
