PDIP's Barak Sees Shift in Indonesia's Foreign Policy Framework
Head of the Research and Policy Analysis Agency (Barak) of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Andi Widjajanto, assesses that there has been a shift in Indonesia’s foreign policy framework regarding Palestine and Israel when the government decided to join the Board of Peace (BoP), established by US President Donald John Trump.
Andi stated that since the Bandung Principles of 1955, Indonesia has committed to not interacting with Israel until recognising Palestinian independence. However, President Prabowo Subianto is now opening interactions with Israel, provided there is commitment to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine to resolve the conflict in Gaza.
“There is an absolute rule of no interaction with Israel before Palestine is independent and sovereign. Prabowo has created a new framework: interaction with Israel is possible as long as there is commitment to the two-state solution,” said Andi in Central Jakarta on Monday, 6 April 2026.
Indonesia officially joined as a member of the BoP on 22 January 2026. Israel also became a member of Trump’s version of the Peace Council. The countries that joined the BoP are those invited by Trump.
As many as 28 countries have joined the BoP to date. One month after the formation of the international body outside the United Nations (UN), the United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February 2026.
According to Andi, this is the first time Indonesia has entered an international organisation that includes Israel as a member, aside from the UN. The Indonesian government, he said, has set the condition of recognising Israel only if it implements the two-state solution. The problem, according to this advisor at Lab45, is that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not appear to support the two-state solution.
Prabowo Subianto previously stated that Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel’s sovereignty on the condition that Israel recognises Palestinian independence through the two-state solution. This was affirmed at the UN High-Level Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Issue in New York in September 2025.
Recently, Prabowo assessed that all parties involved in the US and Israeli war against Iran must be willing to engage in dialogue. According to Prabowo, this dialogue step aims to end the conflict.
“My advice is always to seek peaceful options,” said Prabowo in Hambalang, West Java, quoted from a written statement by the Indonesian Government Communication Agency, on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.
Prabowo also explained Indonesia’s involvement in the BoP. For Prabowo, Indonesia’s participation aims to achieve an independent Palestine through the two-state solution. The General Chairman of the Gerindra Party believes that his decision to join the BoP is a way to realise an independent Palestine.