Indonesia and Israel: Beginning a new era

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.