Indonesia Dismisses Claims of Secret Diplomacy with Israel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra denied reports that Indonesia held secret negotiations with Israel in 2024.

The reports claimed that the negotiations took place in normalizing relations between the two countries as a reciprocal gesture for Israel's support in Indonesia's candidacy to become a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

"Such meetings never held," Yusril said in an official statement on Thursday, May 29, 2025.

In reality, Yusril stated that Indonesia has had no diplomatic relations with Israel. Additionally, Israel did express support for Indonesia's candidacy in the OECD, with the condition of establishing diplomatic relations.

"We have rejected that request," he said.

He added that in international organizations, including the UN, there has never been a requirement for diplomatic relations with all other member countries.

Furthermore, this issue became widely discussed because President Prabowo Subianto emphasized Indonesia's support for a two-state solution in resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict. Indonesia remains consistent in its position, which is to fully support the independence and formation of a Palestinian state as a solution to the prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

"First, Israel must recognize Palestine's independence. Only then will Indonesia consider establishing diplomatic relations with Israel," said Yusril.

Long before this news, the issue of normalizing Indonesia-Israel relations surfaced in 2023. Ynet, an Israeli media outlet, reported that the Israeli government and Indonesia had been discussing normalizing relations for the past three months.

According to Ynet, it matched Yusril's claim that Israel would stop trying to block Indonesia's OECD membership, also known as the "rich country club", in exchange for normalizing relations between the two countries.

Prior to this, Israel had blocked Indonesia's membership in the OECD due to a lack of diplomatic relations.

The Jewish Insider also reported the issue of normalizing Indonesia-Israel relations.

According to the media, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Eli Cohen, then Israeli Foreign Minister, had agreed on the final draft of the agreement to normalize relations between the two countries as a first step towards full diplomatic relations, according to sources.

At that time, Israel and Indonesia were reportedly planning to announce the normalization of relations in October 2023. However, this announcement depended on President Jokowi's schedule for a visit to the White House in Washington, D.C.

Savero Aristia Wienanto contributed to the writing of this article

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