Indonesia to Israel: 'Shalom' - WSJ oped

At the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Indonesia—a leader among Muslim-majority nations—delivered a message that few expected to hear: Peace requires guaranteeing Israel’s security. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, in his debut at the U.N. as head of state, told delegates: “We must also recognize, we must also respect, and we must also guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Only then we can have real peace.” He closed his speech with a Hebrew word: “Shalom.”

For decades, Jakarta has maintained no diplomatic ties with Israel. Its foreign policy establishment has marched in lockstep with the Palestinian cause, often portraying Israel as the singular obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Mr. Subianto’s words are a profound break with Indonesia’s long insistence that bloodshed would end only with the erasure of Israel’s legitimacy.

This matters precisely because of the source. Home to more than 283 million people, Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. The nation often casts itself as Islam’s moral voice for global justice. For an Indonesian leader to say “Shalom” from the U.N. podium is no idle gesture—it was a calculated signal both to Mr. Subianto’s domestic audience and to the West, including Israel.

Why now? Mr. Subianto is a former general with pragmatic instincts. He knows that in a world fractured by Russia’s war in Ukraine, Middle East upheaval and U.S.-China rivalry, stability demands fresh thinking. He also knows Indonesia can’t become a global leader while clinging to outdated slogans.

More..

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/indonesia-to-israel-shalom-99f007ef?st=8CrVKB&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

free