Indonesia and Israel: Beginning a new era

By Eli Belotsercovsky

JAKARTA (JP): During a recent seminar dedicated to ties between Israel and Indonesia at the University of Indonesia, a student asked why Indonesia should establish relations with Israel. This apparently simple question required an elaborate answer.

Although they are different in size and are far away from each other, both countries share common historical similarities. The two nations enjoy a rich cultural heritage, and have regained independence and statehood after a long struggle. The State of Israel extended its full recognition of Indonesia in January 1950, but during the past 50 years, Indonesia and Israel have had very limited contact and no formal relations have been established.

As a Muslim country and founder of the nonaligned movement, Indonesia, together with other African and Asian countries, was unwilling to establish ties with Israel.

The first meaningful step toward peace in the Middle East was marked by the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1978, but it was the Madrid Conference of October 1991 which created an entirely different international and regional political climate, and gave the peace process new impetus.

It was at this juncture that many more members of the international community regarded Israel as a full-fledged partner. The historical reconciliation with the Palestinians, sealed in the 1993 Oslo Accord, and the two interim agreements signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, broke the ground for a comprehensive solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The peace treaty signed with Jordan in 1994 added an extremely important building block to this whole structure. Last but not least, political negotiations with Syria have also been on the agenda of the two countries.

The number of countries which maintain full diplomatic relations with Israel has reached 160. There are 107 Israeli embassies, consulates and diplomatic representations spread worldwide, including in seven countries which are members of the Arab League. And yet, Indonesia has remained one of a very few countries that does not have official ties with Israel.

The democratization process in Indonesia and the election of President Abdurrahman Wahid has given rise to a new awareness about the need to improve relations with Israel. This has opened the door, for the first time, to a public debate and open discussion on Indonesia-Israel relations.

A trade delegation from Israel visited Jakarta for the first time in December 1999. A reciprocal visit of a high-ranking delegation of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was recently sent to Israel, headed by its president, Aburizal Bakrie. Those visits and other promising exchanges by a growing number of Indonesians in many sectors should be viewed as healthy signs of normalizing bilateral relations.

Regarding Israel's geopolitical and economic global status, Israel maintains close ties with the European Community and the United States alike, which are based, among others, on similar democratic political structures and values.

Israel also enjoys warm relations with many Asian countries. China and India, for example, established formal relations with Israel in 1992. The ties are based on common interests in various fields, such as agriculture, and formalized in a whole range of agreements.

A recent six-day visit by the Chinese president followed with visits by India's foreign and internal affairs ministers exemplifies the strong relations Israel enjoys with these countries. Ties between Indonesia and Israel based on a win-win affiliation would be conceived as a natural development of relations between two democratic states.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation in the world. As such, it can also play a constructive role in the Middle East peace process through maintaining friendship and dialog with the two sides. Indonesia's balanced and positive contribution to peace in the Middle East would be greatly appreciated.

From an economic perspective, although small in size -- 21,000 square kilometers -- and in numbers -- 6 million citizens (including 15 percent non-Muslims) -- Israel's economy generates over US$100 billion annually, which corresponds approximately to two-thirds of Indonesia's gross domestic product.

Israel exports about $25 billion to the world a year, out of which, regretfully, only $20 million reaches Indonesia. Israel imports about $30 billion which represents about the same volume as Indonesia's imports.

Israel constitutes a relatively large and developed domestic market with quality-oriented consumers. With almost no natural resources, its high-tech sector places Israel among leading global high-tech players.

Israel's economy complements the resource-rich Indonesia, which invites technological expertise. The complementary character of our respective economies has long been observed by Indonesian and Israeli businessmen who try, albeit with no formal ties, to pursue their interests.

As in its relations with other friendly nations, Israel is willing to nurture and support mutually beneficial economic exchanges and, in addition, to assist Indonesia with technology and know-how, particularly in the field of agriculture, and also by making use of its extensive international technical assistance programs.

It is our sincere belief in Israel that future bilateral relations between Indonesia and Israel hold a significant potential in many fields. By establishing full-fledged formal ties, the two countries will create the necessary prerequisites for many of their respective citizens to reap the benefits of prosperous and friendly relations.

The writer is a Singapore-based Israeli diplomat, who addressed the above mentioned seminar in late March.