The France-Indonesia push for an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution

A pair of longtime allies, France and Indonesia, are weighing in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a press conference on May 28, the leaders of both countries pushed for an end to the war in Gaza via a two-state solution, but their proposal has gotten mixed reactions from the global community.

French President Emmanuel Macron has backed calls for a two-state solution that would recognize both Israel and Palestine. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, has supported a similar stance, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto saying his country will open diplomatic ties with Israel if it recognizes a Palestinian state. But some are worried that the nations' next steps could get complicated.

Macron's shifting stance

While Indonesia and France have both expressed interest in a two-state solution, the latter has been "forced to downgrade expectations" about an upcoming Middle East conference it is hosting with Saudi Arabia, said Politico. The Arab nations "want sanctions not statehood," a European diplomat told the outlet, referring to potential embargoes placed on Israel to end the war. For years, French officials have said Paris was "on the brink of recognizing" Palestinian statehood, but "always cautioning it would only make that move if it advances the peace process."

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France, which is "home to Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim communities, would become the first Western heavyweight to recognize a Palestinian state," said Reuters. This could possibly give "greater momentum to a movement hitherto dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of Israel." If "France moves, several [European] countries will follow," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide to Reuters.

While Macron's "stance has shifted amid Israel's intensified Gaza offensive," said Reuters, Indonesia's view has largely remained the same: pushing for Palestinian state recognition. But Indonesia has now "made the rare pledge of recognizing Israel if it allowed for a Palestinian state," said France24. This could mark a turning point for the two countries' relations, given that Indonesia has "no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause runs high there."

Not the 'right thing to do'

Israel has condemned France's and Indonesia's remarks, as the "Israeli government is unequivocally opposed to Palestinian statehood," said The Times of Israel. A Palestinian state would be a "huge prize for terror," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Some lawmakers in the Israeli "opposition have also expressed opposition in recent weeks, though some left-wing politicians have criticized them for it," said the Times.

Israel has also "recently warned some key European nations that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt Jerusalem to extend sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria," said the Jewish News Syndicate. The French-Indonesian initiative is not the "right thing to do," said Benny Gantz, the head of Israel's opposition National Unity Party, to the outlet. Israel "must remember the security considerations we have around us, they were there before Oct. 7, and they are definitely there after Oct. 7," he said, referencing the 2023 Hamas terror attack that precipitated the conflict.

Even as France and Indonesia are pushing for an end to the war, both nations have made "efforts to deepen cooperation through joint training and capacity-building for Indonesian troops," said the South China Morning Post, and Indonesia has said it would be willing to send weapons to the Middle East. But while the two nations have both pitched in, "stopping the violence in the Gaza Strip and to a lesser extent, the West Bank, depends on what the United States, Israel's closest ally and largest military backer, decides to do," said Politico.