Indonesia To Establish Diplomatic Relations With Israel In Return For OECD Membership

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, is on the way to diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a Yediot Aharonot report Thursday.

According to the report, after three months of secret talks between Israel, Indonesia and the OECD – the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an agreement was reached according to which Indonesia would undertake to normalize its relations with Jerusalem, which in return will remove its opposition to Indonesia’s joining the OECD.

It was also reported that in a letter sent about two weeks ago by OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann to Foreign Minister Israel Katz, the wording of which was approved by Indonesia, it was written: “I am happy to announce that the Council has officially agreed to the early, clear and explicit condition that Indonesia should maintain diplomatic relations with all countries of the organization before any decision to accept it into the OECD. Moreover, any future decision to accept Indonesia as a member of the organization will require unanimous agreement among all the members, including Israel. I am convinced that this provides you with security on this important point.”

Minister Katz wrote in response: “I share your expectation that this process will be a change for Indonesia, as I expect a positive change in its policy towards Israel, and especially an end to its discriminatory policy towards Israel, towards the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the parties.”

In order for Indonesia to join the OCD, the consent of all 38 current member nations is required, with one of the conditions being the existence of diplomatic relations between all countries.

The OECD asked Israel not to oppose the move, but Indonesia’s conduct during the war and its support for South Africa’s genocide accusations against Israel at the International Court of Justice resulted in strong opposition from the Jewish State.

The OECD’s secretary-general opened talks, at the end of which it was agreed that Indonesia would undertake that before the final vote on its entry into the organization, the country would establish official diplomatic relations with Israel.

The process of the Muslim country’s accession will take at least two years and includes a series of goals that must be met that will be examined by expert committees, which will include Israeli members with the ability to stop the entire process.