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View all search resultsPrabowo affirms support for Palestinian cause
Indonesia is ‘moving forward in a careful manner’ with its membership at the Board of Peace and other affairs related to Gaza and Palestine with regional developments, including the United States-Israel war on Iran, seen as references for its assessments, said President Prabowo Subianto.
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President Prabowo Subianto (center), standing between Home Minister Tito Karnavian (left) and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya (right), performs Idul Fitri prayers at the Darussalam Mosque in Aceh Tamiang, Aceh, on March 21, 2026. (Courtesy of Presidential Secretariat/Cahyo)
P
resident Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for Palestinian independence by saying that Jakarta’s policy in the Middle East, including its participation in the United States-led Board of Peace, will hinge on Palestinian approval and whether it delivers tangible benefits for Palestine.
During a sit-down with senior journalists and experts at his residence in Hambalang, West Java, on March 17, Prabowo offered a detailed public account on Indonesia’s decision to join the Board of Peace in January, emphasizing that his approach has been driven by a commitment to support the Palestinian struggle.
Recalling the international community’s sense of hopelessness amid the Israeli invasion of Gaza, Prabowo said Muslim leaders, including himself, saw a “small crack of opportunity” open up in September 2025, when US President Donald Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan recognizing Palestinian aspirations for independence and a call for a ceasefire.
After further discussions and the United Nations’ approval in November for the formation of the Board of Peace to oversee the implementation of Trump’s plan, Prabowo claimed he concluded that Indonesia, home to one of the world’s largest Muslim population, “must have leverage” in the process.
“I was carrying forward Indonesia’s longstanding struggle in defending the interests of Palestine,” Prabowo said during the sit-down, a recording of which was uploaded to his YouTube channel on Thursday.
The President added that he had voiced Indonesia’s readiness to send peacekeeping troops during discussions with Western leaders, provided all parties, especially Palestinian leaders and Hamas militant group in Gaza, agreed.
Prabowo then clarified that Indonesia would not contribute financially to the board, including the US$1 billion fee required to secure a permanent seat at the platform.
