Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, has long stood on the moral high ground of international diplomacy. For decades, it has tirelessly championed the Palestinian cause—not out of necessity or strategic gain, but out of unwavering principle.
In bilateral meetings and global forums such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement, Indonesia has been a steadfast voice for Palestinian self-determination, often standing firm against Israeli occupation and policies of apartheid. It has done so without expecting anything in return.
This commitment was never transactional. No Indonesian leader—until now—had positioned Palestine as a diplomatic bargaining chip. Our solidarity stemmed from a deep historical empathy: as a nation that endured colonization, we understand what it means to be occupied, stripped of dignity, and brutalized by a superior power.
But under President Prabowo Subianto, that moral clarity seems to be rapidly eroding.
He announced last April that Indonesia was willing to accept 1,000 Palestinians from Gaza, reportedly as part of a broader negotiation with the United States over tariff relief. The move came shortly after US President Donald Trump applied higher trade tariffs against Indonesia.
To many, this looked less like humanitarian compassion and more like compliance with US-Israeli objectives. Israel has long used the tactic of population displacement to depopulate Gaza and the West Bank, clearing land for illegal settlements. The forcible relocation of Palestinians, under the guise of “refugee resettlement,” is a known part of this strategy. And now, Indonesia appears complicit.
Prabowo’s decision was swiftly condemned by Palestinian civil society groups, who warned that such normalization efforts only legitimize the occupation and undermine the struggle for statehood.
Shortly thereafter, during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Prabowo made another startling statement: Indonesia was “ready to recognize Israel” if Israel recognizes the State of Palestine.
On paper, this aligns with the two-state solution, a principle Indonesia has long supported through multilateral channels. But context matters. And Prabowo’s delivery—detached, casual, and devoid of historical nuance—sent a dangerous signal at a dangerous time.
At the moment of his statement, more than 36,000 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2024, including over 14,000 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli airstrikes had obliterated refugee camps, hospitals, and schools—acts widely documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International as war crimes.
Prabowo failed to mention this. He offered recognition of Israel without naming its atrocities, without demanding accountability, and without answering the central question: Where, exactly, would the Palestinian state exist if Israeli settlements have already overtaken most of its rightful territory?
So what does Prabowo’s offer signal? That genocide can be rewarded with recognition, as long as it’s followed by a token diplomatic gesture?
In this context, Prabowo’s comment wasn’t bold diplomacy.
It was reckless appeasement.
And then came the news that the Indonesian government was courting BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, to invest in Danantara, Indonesia’s new sovereign wealth fund.
BlackRock, however, is no ordinary investor. It holds massive shares in defense companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman—all key suppliers of weapons used by Israel in Gaza. In 2023, BlackRock faced global protests over its complicity in the military-industrial complex and its financial ties to Israel’s war machinery.
By partnering with BlackRock, Indonesia isn’t just risking economic dependence—it’s aligning itself with a company actively profiting from the destruction of Palestine.
Danantara itself remains opaque, untested, and politically unaccountable. Entrusting it to an entity like BlackRock undermines any credibility Indonesia claims as a non-aligned, justice-seeking nation.
Foreign Policy Sickness: From Leadership to Appeasement
Prabowo’s foreign policy represents a steep decline from the dignified diplomacy of previous era. Gone are the days of Ali Alatas, who helped turn ASEAN into a rules-based institution. Gone is the era of Marty Natalegawa’s “boat diplomacy,” which calmed tensions in Indochina and the South China Sea. Gone is the principled persuasion of Hassan Wirajuda, who brought U.S. officials back to the climate negotiating table. And gone is Retno Marsudi’s smooth public relations delivery of Indonesia’s all out support for the Palestinian people.
Instead, we get performative grandstanding and empty gestures, desperate attempts to appear “global,” while betraying long-held principles.
This submissiveness reveals a foreign policy illness. It’s not just poor strategy. It’s a moral failure.
Remember that one kid in school who would do anything to be liked? He’d laugh while being bullied, agree with anything, and bend over backward just to be accepted.
That seems to be Indonesia now.
But this is not the Indonesia we inherited from our founding fathers. This is not the republic our founders fought for.
Indonesia was never meant to be a pawn in someone else’s game, or a fat boy desperately seeking friends. It was meant to lead, inspire, and defend the oppressed.
If we trade Palestine now, what will we trade next? Our forests? Our democracy? Our dignity?
It’s time to stop smiling while we’re being bullied.
It’s time to stop pretending submission is strategy.
It’s time to reclaim our moral compass before we lose our soul entirely.
Omong-Omong Media’s editorial is also published in The Jakarta Post every Monday.
