(Jakarta Post-Indonesia) Editorial - Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, held separate discussions with counterparts from Islamic nations, among them Indonesia's Hassan Wirayuda. We agree that Indonesia should resist opening full diplomatic ties with the Zionist state. But at the same time we also encourage a much more thorough debate on the available options vis-a-vis Israel, beyond simplistic dogmas of ideological preconceptions and narrow-minded religious tenets. The fact is that relations on individual and trade levels do exist with Israel. If the peace process progresses as everyone hopes, the opportunities of engaging with the Middle East's most modern state is a requisite for a country like Indonesia. If Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, truly wants to play a significant role in the Middle East process to further help the Palestinian cause, opening some form of relationship with the State of Israel is a prerequisite.
2005-09-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive