Indonesia is right to condemn the Knesset’s West Bank move—but it must break from the two-state illusion

On 24 July, Indonesia issued a clear and forceful condemnation of Israel’s latest provocation: the Knesset’s approval of a declaration supporting sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. “Israel does not have sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated unequivocally, calling the move an illegal annexation and urging the United Nations Security Council and the international community to intervene.

Indonesia’s statement deserves recognition—not just for its firm language, but for standing on the side of international law and Palestinian rights at a time when many countries remain silent or deliberately vague. On the same day, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), of which Indonesia is a member, also released its own strong denunciation of the Knesset’s action.

But if these responses underscore anything, it’s this: the Knesset’s resolution doesn’t just violate international law—it lays bare the failure of the very framework that OIC countries continue to call for, even in their latest statement. That framework is the two-state solution.

Indonesia, too, reaffirmed its support for Palestinian statehood based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. But while that position is well-intentioned and rooted in decades of diplomatic consensus, it increasingly feels disconnected from today’s reality.

Let’s be honest. The two-state solution has become a diplomatic talking point rather than a viable path forward. The facts on the ground—continued settlement expansion, systematic annexation, and legal apartheid—have all but erased the territorial basis for a Palestinian state. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The roads, the walls, the checkpoints, and the military zones have carved up the territory beyond recognition.

The Knesset’s declaration merely confirmed what has been happening incrementally for years. What remains of the two-state vision is a patchwork of enclaves under Israeli control, where Palestinians are denied equal rights and freedom of movement. This is not a roadmap to peace; it is a formula for permanent subjugation.

The continued commitment of both the OIC and Indonesia to the two-state paradigm—despite the irreversible conditions on the ground—only reinforces an illusion, one that Israel exploits to preserve the status quo while maintaining the façade of a peace process. By framing their opposition within the confines of a broken model, both miss a deeper truth: the two-state solution is not merely failing. It has already failed.

This moment calls for something bolder. If Indonesia truly wishes to honour its longstanding support for Palestinian rights, it must begin asking hard questions: What does justice look like in the absence of a viable Palestinian state? Can we continue to call for a solution that has no chance of being implemented on the ground?

Indonesia has taken commendable steps beyond statements. Foreign Minister Sugiono recently highlighted President Prabowo’s scholarship program for Palestinian students, alongside other efforts such as building health facilities and sending medical teams to Gaza.

But without a shift in political vision, such gestures risk being symbolic. As Sugiono noted, Indonesia wants to do more. That “more” must include breaking from the failed two-state model. Supporting Palestinian rights means confronting the reality on the ground—not clinging to a framework that no longer exists.

Indonesia doesn’t need to abandon its principles. On the contrary, it should take them to their logical conclusion. A rights-based approach—one that calls for a single state in all of historic Palestine, with equal rights for Jews and Palestinians alike—is not a radical departure. It is a moral and strategic response to the reality that the two-state framework no longer serves the people it was meant to liberate.

Such a position would not be without precedent. Across the Global South, voices are growing louder in support of alternatives that center justice, equality, and human dignity—not the illusion of partition. As the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia has the credibility to lead that shift.

By calling out Israel’s annexation plans, Indonesia has already shown moral clarity. But clarity alone is not enough. The next step requires the courage to move beyond a peace process that has become little more than a diplomatic cover for entrenching apartheid.

The Palestinian struggle deserves more than statements, scholarships, and medical aid. It deserves a vision of liberation that matches the reality on the ground—and challenges it. Indonesia can help shape that vision. The time to start is now.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.