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View all search resultsPrabowo’s Middle East diplomacy boosts image, but payoff uncertain
Analysts note that President Prabowo Subianto has increased his presence in the Middle East by attending high-level meetings pertaining to the Gaza ceasefire, including one in Egypt that saw the signing of a United States-brokered declaration.
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President Prabowo Subianto (on stage, second left) applauds as United States President Donald Trump (on stage, eighth right) address the summit on Gaza peace process in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Oct. 13, 2025. (Handout/Courtesy of Presidential Secretariat)
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ndonesia has gained new recognition in the Middle East following President Prabowo Subianto’s active role in the ceasefire and the regionally backed declaration on Gaza. However, analysts have urged Jakarta to be realistic about any tangible or strategic gains.
Despite stepping out of its comfort zone and investing significant resources to promote peace in the Middle East, observers say the region’s volatility and Indonesia’s limited influence offer little promise for immediate political or economic returns. Still, the effort could bolster Prabowo's personal image on a global stage increasingly dominated by assertive leaders.
Bittersweet yet cautious optimism accompanied the ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel withdrew most of its troops from the enclave after months of intense diplomacy that produced a peace plan and a declaration aimed at ensuring lasting stability in the region.
On Monday, the declaration was signed during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, attended by dozens of world leaders, including Prabowo, who represented Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population.
Prabowo’s appearance at the Egypt summit has been identified by observers as a significant sign of Jakarta’s formal entry into the Middle East peace process, following months of the engagement by the President with the region as part of his foreign policy initiatives regarding Palestine.
In recent months, Prabowo has undertaken several diplomatic activities focused on supporting Palestine, including by joining high-level talks and offering Indonesian assistance during the process. The President offered on several occasions to deploy 20,000 military personnel as part of a multinational peacekeeping process and temporary medical evacuations for 2,000 Palestinians to a medical facility in the Riau Islands.
Read also: Government denies Prabowo ever intended to visit Israel
