The US Is Ready To Disburse Billions Of Dollars If Indonesia Builds Relations With Israel

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - A government agency of the United States (US) says it is willing to provide billions of dollars in aid if Indonesia joins Muslim countries that have built relations with Israel. This push comes amid the incessant US President Donald Trump to mediate between Muslim countries to establish relations with Israel.

This was expressed by the CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a government agency investing abroad, Adam Boehler. Adam Boehler stated this in an interview at the King David Hotel, Jerusalem.

Quoting Bloomberg, Wednesday, December 23, Boehler said that DFC could double its portfolio by US $ 1 billion if Indonesia developed relations with Israel. Boehler also admitted that he was discussing it with Indonesia.

"If they are ready, they are ready and if they do then we will be more than happy to support financially more than what we do," said Boehler. Bohler said he had no doubts if funding for Indonesia would increase to over a billion or two billion dollars.

US and Israeli leaders are expecting more countries to join the wave of a normalization agreement with Israel. The countries that have normalized relations with Israel in recent months are the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

Normalization of diplomatic relations

The US hopes that Oman and Saudi Arabia will also normalize relations with Israel. Although Boehler said DFC funding for the two countries would be limited because DFC is not allowed to invest directly in high-income countries.

Boehler is in Israel as part of a delegation with Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. Boehler will next travel to Morocco. He said he would announce the opening of the first Prosper Africa branch in North Africa, an initiative to increase business between the US and Africa.

On the occasion, Boehler also said his agency is likely to become part of a debt syndicate to help finance the sale of Israel's largest port in the northern city of Haifa. US companies and UAE companies have shown interest in the tender. Boehler will look at offers that involve Americans or allies such as those from the UAE.

When US President-elect Joe Biden promised to reverse many of the policies of his predecessors, Boehler said the institution he led enjoyed bipartisan support. He hopes for sustainability under the new government.

"I think they will take what we did and go further, and I hope they do and I will be there to support them," he concluded.