Indonesia Denies Secret Deal with Israeli over FM Retno’s Visit to Ramallah
Jakarta, 08 March 2016 1437/18 Jumadil End (MINA) – The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has denied a secret deal between Indonesia and Israel over the planned visit of Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to Ramallah recently as reported by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely.
There has never been any discussion, let alone any agreements, Foreign Ministry spokesman Armanatha Nasir said at a press briefing at the Foreign Ministry here on Thursday (17/3 ).
Stressing that no Israeli officials had met Retno, he said he didn’t know the motivation behind Holovety’s statement.
“We are only focused on the mission to Amman, and this was a success,” he added.
The prominent Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Wednesday (16/03) that Hotovely told the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, that Retno was denied entry to the West Bank because she violated a secret pact allegedly made with a senior Israeli official in Jakarta.
According to the Haaretz, Israel and Indonesia had agreed that any Indonesian official visiting to the West Bank should also be included a meeting with Israeli officials in Jerusalem.
“There had been a clear understanding that [Retno’s] visit to Ramallah would also include a visit to Israel and a meeting with senior officials in Jerusalem,” Hotovely said, as quoted by Haaretz.
Armanatha, who is popularly known as Tata pointed out that the Indonesian Foreign Minister only used diplomatic channels with Jordan, with plans to dedicate an honorary Indonesian consulate as well as meet with her Palestinian counterpart and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority.
The arrangement has been made by Indonesian Amassador to Amman, who is also Indonesian Ambassador to Palestine, since last December to use a helicopter from Amman to Ramallah, not by land that must pass through Israeli checkpoints, says Tata.
Indonesia and Israel have no formal diplomatic, despite links in trade, tourism and security.
She visited Jordan on Saturday last week and was scheduled to arrive on Sunday in Ramallah, to demonstrate Indonesia’s commitment to improving relations with the Palestinians and to support Palestinian independence.
But Israeli authorities control who can enter and leave the occupied territory, and local media reported Foreign Minister Retno was blocked from visiting because she did not plan to meet with any Israeli officials during her visit.
Palestinian officials claim Israel refused permission for Retno’s entry only hours before she was due to arrive. (R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
