Indonesia created a historic moment at the fifth extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The summit concluded with a cornerstone on the peace process and independence of the Palestine state. After two years of nearly no signs of progress, the world now has new hope in solving the Israel-Palestine conflict.
As the host of the latest OIC summit, Indonesia could push forward Palestine issues to the wider international arena and play a bigger role in the OIC from merely participant to key actor.
First, the appointment of Indonesia as the host country for the summit indicated the Palestinian leadership’s trust in Indonesia. Indonesia and its people indeed have a strong political commitment to and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Two major factions of Palestine, Hamas and Fatah, acknowledge and respect Indonesia.
Second, Indonesia has good bilateral relations with almost all OIC members. Religious, political, historical, social and economic bonds between Indonesia and OIC countries, especially among Middle East nations, were established in the mid-20th century.
Several of the countries were inspired by Indonesia’s independence in 1945 and initiatives to build organizations of developing nations. Interaction between Indonesia and Middle East countries has occurred since the early development of Islam in the archipelago as early as the ninth century.
Being a good friend of both Iran and Saudi Arabia opens opportunities for Indonesia to play the role of mediator for two conflicting countries and their coalitions. Turkey as the former chairman of the OIC seems favorable to Indonesia playing a more active role in the Palestine peace process.
Third, Indonesia is the largest democratic Muslim-dominated country in the world. Despite small and manageable scales of religious violence, Indonesia has considerable religious freedoms and notable achievement in human rights, women’s empowerment, freedom of the press and religious harmony.
Supported with relative political and economic stability, Indonesia might capitalize on these potentials to heighten its contribution to the OIC.
Furthermore, Indonesia is home to religions of the world. Although Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, it is not an Islamic state. Under the Pancasila state ideology, people of different faiths celebrate religious plurality within a largely open environment.
This religious factor is one of the key aspects making Indonesia acceptable to other Muslim countries. Indonesian religious communities have strong networks with those in other countries.
This people-to-people engagement, referred to as second-track diplomacy, could increase the bargaining position of Indonesia to take a certain leadership at the OIC.
Finally, Indonesia has adequate worldly human resources and organizations. Prominent figures such as Din Syamsuddin, the former chairman of Islamic civil society, Muhammadiyah, former foreign minister Alwi Shihab and Hasyim Muzadi, the leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama organization, have international reputations.
It is fortunate that Indonesia has solid Islamic civil society organizations like Muhammadiyah and the NU, the country’s largest Islamic organizations, which would strengthen Indonesia’s leverage at the OIC.
Despite all this potential, however, the challenges of Indonesia’s potential role regarding Palestine lie with the leadership of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
In the country there are hopes among minorities that Indonesia should play a marginal role in the OIC as Indonesia is not an Islamic state. There is also a degree of inferiority regarding Indonesia’s economy compared to the rich states of the Middle East.
If Indonesia is able to overcome these hindrances to play a more visible role to overcome the protracted issue of Palestine, and advance the struggle to Palestinian people’s sovereignty under a two-state solution, the country could play a more significant role at the OIC and in the global arena.
By Abdul Mu’ti
Abdul Mu’ti is the secretary-general of Muhammadiyah and lecturer at the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. — Ed.
