Indonesia agrees to begin normalizing ties with Israel - report
The head of the OECD reportedly brokered the deal for Jerusalem to establish relations with the world's largest Muslim country in exchange for allowing its accession to the global economic forum
Could the Jewish State be on the way to normalizing relations with the world's largest Muslim country?
A new report suggests that Indonesia could establish diplomatic ties with Israel, as part of the deal to pave its entry into the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
According to Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, secret talks between Israel, Indonesia and the OECD have been ongoing for three months. Israel had apparently been blocking Indonesia's entry into the group.
In a letter sent by OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann to Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz, he reportedly wrote that the forum had agreed that Indonesia must maintain diplomatic relations with all 38 member countries, a condition that must be fulfilled prior to its entry into the group which would have to be unanimously approved. The letter was apparently sent about two weeks ago, with Indonesia approving its contents.
According to the newspaper and its online site Ynet, the foreign minister responded yesterday in which he welcomed the breakthrough and wrote that he expects a "positive change" in Indonesia's policy towards Israel, "in particular a renunciation of the discriminatory policy towards Israel, towards the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the parties."
Indonesia had been looking to join the global forum dedicated to simulating economic progress and world trade. However, Israel opposed its entry due to Indonesia's antagonism towards Jerusalem since the start of the war in Gaza, and its backing of South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the Hague. Israel demanded that formal diplomatic relations be a precondition for Indonesia's accession to the OECD.
The process for Indonesia joining the economic group could take two to three years, with the country undergoing an intense review process. Cormann promised that Israeli representatives would be part of the committees, providing an avenue for Jerusalem and Jakarta to begin direct communication, as well as allowing Israel to veto its accession if Indonesia fails to establish diplomatic ties within the requisite time frame.
While Israel has long made-known its desire to expand the Abraham Accords to include regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, there have been reports in the past of secret attempts to normalize relations with Indonesia, the fourth-most populous country in the world and with the largest Muslim population.