Israel, Indonesia talked during Lebanon war

Cleveland Jewish News [US]
September 23, 2006


Israel, Indonesia talked during Lebanon war

(JTA) — Ehud Omert told the heads of a US Jewish group
that he had direct contact with Indonesian leaders
during Israel's Lebanon war.

The Israeli prime minister met last week in Israel
with Steve Gutow, executive director of the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for
Jewish community-relations councils, and Martin
Raffel, the group's associate executive director.

Olmert said Indonesian leaders contacted Israel during
the war. He did not divulge details of the
conversation, but Israel subsequently dropped
objections to Indonesian participation in a
peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Israel has no
formal relations with the world's most populous Muslim
nations, but ties have warmed in recent years, and
Israel delivered aid during the 2004 tsunami.

(JTA) — Ehud Omert told the heads of a US Jewish group
that he had direct contact with Indonesian leaders
during Israel's Lebanon war.

The Israeli prime minister met last week in Israel
with Steve Gutow, executive director of the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for
Jewish community-relations councils, and Martin
Raffel, the group's associate executive director.

Olmert said Indonesian leaders contacted Israel during
the war. He did not divulge details of the
conversation, but Israel subsequently dropped
objections to Indonesian participation in a
peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Israel has no
formal relations with the world's most populous Muslim
nations, but ties have warmed in recent years, and
Israel delivered aid during the 2004 tsunami.