Indonesia says will withdraw from Board of Peace if it does not benefit Palestinians

Published 06 Mar, 2026 11:45am 2 min read

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has reassured local Islamic groups that he will withdraw from US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of ​Peace’ if the platform does not benefit Palestinians, a government ‌statement said on Friday.

The participation of Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, on the board, and its decision to contribute troops for a Gaza stabilisation ​force, has drawn criticism from experts and Muslim groups at ​home, who say it compromises its long-standing support for the ⁠Palestinian cause.

Prabowo gathered the groups’ leaders for a meeting on ​Thursday evening, where he reiterated his reasoning behind joining the board, according ​to a statement put out by the government communication office.

Prabowo will withdraw from the board if it does not benefit Palestinian and Indonesian interests, the statement quoted ​Hanif Alatas of the Islamic Brotherhood Front as saying.

“The president ​said that if he sees that there is no longer any benefit for Palestine…and ‌that ⁠it is not in line with Indonesia’s national interests, he will withdraw,” Hanif said in the statement.

The Indonesian Ulema Council, a leading clerical body, had previously called for Indonesia to exit the board due ​to the US ​role in the ongoing ⁠Iran war.

Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Muslim group, said Indonesia’s government could use the board to encourage ​de-escalation in the Middle East.

“Indonesia could declare that ​the (board’s) agenda ⁠is on hold until there are talks on de-escalation and peace from the American-Israeli war against Iran,” its chief Yahya Cholil Staquf said ⁠in ​a statement issued by Prabowo’s office late on Thursday.

All ​Board of Peace discussions have been halted due to the war, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono ​has previously said.

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