The report states that the results of the upcoming Indonesian presidential elections in February 2024 will determine whether or not Jakarta will normalize relations with Tel Aviv.
The current President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, has maintained a hostile position against Israel. However, his 10-year term will end after the 2024 election concludes.
Indonesia’s relations with Israel have historically been strained and characterized by a lack of formal diplomatic ties. As a predominantly Muslim country, Indonesia has taken a strong stance in support of the Palestinian cause and has refrained from recognizing Israel as a sovereign state.
In recent months, Indonesia barred Israel from participating in the World Youth Cup, denying the Israeli team from entering its territory. This resulted in Jakarta losing its right to host international sports events.
Indonesia could face additional penalties from FIFA, one option being exclusion from the Asian qualifying section of the 2026 World Cup.
Despite this, Israel reportedly has channels of communication with several Indonesian political parties and maintains trade and tourism relations with Jakarta.
The report also added that the administration of US President Joe Biden is working behind the scenes to persuade the Indonesian government to establish relations with Tel Aviv. However, Israeli officials are still unsure whether Jakarta will settle for normalization before Saudi Arabia does.
According to reports, the Palestinian Authority recently set a list of conditions to support a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush was dismissed at the end of August after news broke that she had met with her Israeli counterpart in Rome that month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and special envoy Amos Hochstein are all collaborating to expand the Abraham Accords circle, according to the Israel Hayom.
