Will Indonesia normalize relations with Israel?
Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lalu Muhammad Iqbal has denied claims that his country would normalize relations with Israel in order to be accepted into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
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According to Antara News, Spokesperson Iqbal made a statement regarding the claim in the Israeli press that "Indonesia will normalize relations with Israel to be accepted into the OECD."
Stating that Israel has not "ended its brutality" in Gaza, Iqbal said, "I emphasize that so far, we have no plans to establish diplomatic relations with Israel."
Reiterating that Indonesia's stance on this issue will not change, Spokesperson Iqbal emphasized that his country will continue to support the independence of Palestine and the resolution of the Israel-Palestine issue through a two-state solution.
Iqbal stated, "Indonesia will always be consistent and will be at the forefront of protecting the rights of the Palestinian nation."
On the other hand, a statement made by the OECD in February noted that the OECD Council, consisting of 38 member countries, had decided to begin accession negotiations with Indonesia.
Indonesia's request to join the OECD had faced opposition from Israel, which has been criticized by Jakarta due to its attacks on Gaza.