Indonesian Diplomacy for Palestinian Peace and Independence: Challenges and Sustainability
摘要
The foreign policy of the Republic of Indonesia towards the State of Palestine under the presidency of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has received great attention. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been highly active in advocating for Palestine at various international forums. Consequently, Indonesia is currently at the fore front of countries that are both consistent and active in their efforts to secure Palestinian independence through the two-state solution on the international stage. However, this policy is markedly divergent from that of previous regimes, such as Soekarno, Soeharto and SBY, who were notably less vocal in their defense of Palestine. This paper examines why Jokowi’s foreign policy towards Palestine is so prominent? What are the desired outcomes of this policy? What differentiates it from the foreign policy of Soekarno, Soeharto, and SBY? This paper finds that Indonesia’s foreign policy towards Palestine is strongly influenced by the character of the regime in power and the existing domestic and international political context. Furthermore, it can be observed that Jokowi’s policy places greater emphasis on political approach than that of Soeharto and SBY, yet it does not adopt a confrontational political approach as did that of Soekarno. In addition, it can be seen that Indonesia’s foreign policy objectives towards Palestine are strongly influenced by the norms of international institutions, notably the UN, which advocates for a two-state solution.