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Indonesia to Israel: "Shalom"

(Wall Street Journal) Haisam Hassanein - At the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said peace requires guaranteeing Israel's security. He closed his speech with the Hebrew word: "Shalom." His words are a profound break with Indonesia's long insistence that bloodshed would end only with the erasure of Israel's legitimacy. Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. For an Indonesian leader to say "Shalom" from the UN podium is a calculated signal both to his domestic audience and to the West, including Israel. For years, Arab governments have loudly proclaimed ritual condemnations of Israel while quietly deepening trade and security ties with the Jewish state. Subianto put back on the table a simple, powerful truth: Stability starts with guaranteeing Israel's security. His statement reflects a hard reality: Palestinians won't win independence by denying Israelis' right to security. If Indonesia turns words into policy - opening trade offices, pursuing cultural exchanges or joining regional mediation - the effect would be seismic and could push other Muslim-majority nations toward coexistence. The writer is an adjunct fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2025-09-28 00:00:00
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