No ties with Israel, Gus Dur tells Arab envoys
No ties with Israel, Gus Dur tells Arab envoys
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid assured Arab nations
on Monday that Indonesia would not open diplomatic ties with
Israel until Palestinians gained independence in their homeland.
Palestine Ambassador Ribhi Y. Awad told reporters he received
assurances from the new President that there would be no
immediate change in Indonesia's foreign policy toward Israel.
Awad was among 16 Arab envoys who met with Gus Dur, as the
President is popularly known, at the presidential palace.
The other envoys represented Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Algeria,
Tunisia, Iraq, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Libya and Syria.
Abdurrahman promised Indonesia would not establish diplomatic
ties with Israel until the establishment of an independent
Palestine state with Jerusalem as its capital, Awad said.
Indonesia also made the return of all Arab territories
currently occupied by Israel, including the Golan Heights, and
the release of all Palestinian prisoners preconditions to the
opening of ties with the Jewish state, he said.
"We from Arab countries are happy and grateful for the
reiteration by the Indonesian government of its continuation of
the policy of the previous government," the ambassador said.
In the past, Abdurrahman publicly advocated establishing
diplomatic ties with Israel, saying that Indonesia had even
larger ideological differences with China, with whom it had a
strong diplomatic relationship.
Abdurrahman also once traveled to the Jewish state and
accepted a seat in the Simon Peres Institute, an organization
which aims to promote world peace and harmony.
The President stated on Sunday his new government had no
immediate plans to open diplomatic ties with Israel, but he said
the two countries could begin exchanging trade missions.
When asked whether economic and trade ties with Israel also
were discussed at the meeting, Awad said: "I don't wish to
elaborate on the matter. What is clear is that Gus Dur stated
Indonesia's unchanged position with regard to ties with Israel."
Indonesia did not follow the lead of most Arab nations and
establish diplomatic ties with Israel following a historic 1993
agreement which was seen as paving the way for peace in the
Middle East.
Then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin visited Jakarta in
1993 for talks with president Soeharto, but there was no follow-
up to the meeting. Soeharto met Rabin more in his capacity as
chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement than as Indonesia's head of
state.
Indonesia has stated that diplomatic ties with Israel are
impossible until the Jewish state complies with all United
Nations resolutions on the conflict in the Middle East, including
the return of all Arab land held by Israel.
Awad said Arab nations praised the Indonesian government for
supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people to win their
political rights.
They also hailed Abdurrahman's support for Lebanon's struggle
to free its southern territory from occupation by Israel, and
Syria's effort to regain the Golan Heights.
He said Islam created a strong bond and sense of brotherhood
between Arab nations and Indonesia.
Such solidarity must not simply be stated in sweet words and
expressions, but also implemented through cooperation in all
fields, including economics, he said.
Awad expressed hope the friendship between Indonesia and Arab
nations would continue to grow and flourish under President
Abdurrahman. (prb/emb)