The battle of Palestinian and Israeli narratives in Indonesia

Indonesia's stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict, while officially supporting Palestinian sovereignty, is marked by a complex and increasingly polarized domestic narrative. Public opinion, heavily influenced by identity politics and socio-religious divisions, often diverges from the state's formal diplomacy, particularly after the October 7, 2023, escalation. Support for Palestine is fragmented, with constitutional nationalists favoring a Two-State Solution and Islamist groups sympathizing with armed resistance.

• Pro-Israel sentiment, though a minority, exists among Christian theo-political communities and a pragmatic urban elite, who see economic and technological benefits in engagement with Israel.
• Despite official rhetoric, informal commercial transactions between Indonesia and Israel reached US$240.3 million by October 2025.
• Indonesia's bid to join the OECD was reportedly obstructed by Israel, an OECD member, due to Jakarta's support for South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, leading to quiet negotiations.
• President Prabowo Subianto's administration signals a more realist foreign policy, with Prabowo stating at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 that "Israel’s safety and security must be recognized and guaranteed as a prerequisite for lasting peace."