France secures Indonesian support in global push for Palestinian statehood Jakarta willing to trade recognition of Israel for Palestine

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, maintains no official diplomatic ties with Israel and has long supported a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As a major global player among the few dozen nations that do not recognize Israel—alongside countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Cuba—Indonesia has consistently backed Palestinian statehood. On May 28, during a joint press conference with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia would consider establishing relations with Israel if Tel Aviv officially recognized a Palestinian state. This shift signals growing global pressure on Israel in light of its prolonged military campaign in Gaza and increasing civilian casualties.

In a joint declaration, France and Indonesia called for renewed momentum toward a two-state solution, advocating for “mutual recognition” between Israel and Palestine. According to Israeli media, the proposal supports an upcoming international conference, to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia in New York in June and is aimed at reviving diplomatic negotiations. The statement underscored the need for a path that would enable the establishment of a Palestinian state and mutual recognition between the two sides, presenting the conference as a vital step toward sustainable peace.

President Macron’s comments reflected the mounting frustration in Europe over Israel’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He signalled that France may formally recognize Palestinian statehood in the coming months, drawing sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu condemned such moves as rewarding terrorism, emphasizing that Hamas had welcomed the European leaders’ remarks and warning that they were “on the wrong side of justice, [on] the wrong side of humanity, [and] on the wrong side of history.”

President Subianto reiterated Indonesia’s position during the press event, stating, “Indonesia firmly believes that the only way to achieve lasting peace is through the implementation of the two-state solution and the realization of a free Palestine.” He emphasized, however, that Israel’s sovereignty and security must also be respected. “Indonesia is ready to recognize Israel and open diplomatic relations, but only if Israel acknowledges the Palestinian state,” he added.

Currently, nearly 150 countries recognize the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, as the official State of Palestine. Although Palestine holds observer status at the United Nations, it has yet to achieve full membership due to a lack of consensus in the UN Security Council. Azerbaijan enjoys bilateral diplomatic ties with the State of Palestine since 1992, with a diplomatic representation operating in Baku. In May 2024, Ireland, Norway, and Spain became the latest countries to formally recognize Palestinian statehood.

France spearheading push for Palestinian statehood

Macron’s visit to Indonesia, part of a broader diplomatic tour of three nations, is also aimed at expanding France’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region by strengthening trade and defence ties and positioning France as a mediator between the global powers of the US and China.

Earlier in the week, Macron joined UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and Canadian political figure Mark Carney in condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Their joint statement called for an immediate end to Israel’s military operations in the enclave. In response, Netanyahu asserted that their position aligned with Hamas and accused them of supporting terrorism through their stance on the conflict.

Macron's visit is part of Paris' initiative to intensify its diplomatic efforts globally in preparation for a pivotal summit aimed at reinvigorating the two-state solution, which it will co-host with Saudi Arabia at the United Nations headquarters in New York next month, according to a statement released by the French embassy in Tel Aviv and cited by Israeli media.

“The French authorities are engaging their international partners to ensure that this conference produces tangible results on the ground,” the embassy said, emphasizing that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot held “highly constructive discussions” in Paris recently with his counterparts from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to build consensus around the summit’s goals.

According to the embassy, the conference will focus on making concrete progress in four primary areas: formal recognition of a Palestinian state; normalization of diplomatic relations and broader regional integration for the State of Israel; internal reforms within the Palestinian Authority to strengthen governance and accountability; and the disarmament of Hamas, alongside its total exclusion from any future political or governmental role in Palestine.

By Nazrin Sadigova