RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Leader of Indonesia's largest Islamic organization backs President Prabowo Subianto's decision to join the Board of Peace (BoP). This is in contrast to the Indonesian Islamic scholars' union, which advocated that the nation should quit the group founded by the U.S. President, Donald Trump.

Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Yahya Cholil Staquf, stated this at the organization's centennial anniversary event at Jakarta on Saturday, 31 January 2026. Yahya, also known as Gus Yahya, believes the initiative is a concrete initiative currently available to support the Palestinian people's struggle.

"Because this is the only option currently available, and other alternatives are not yet available, we, based on the vision of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, cannot remain silent. We cannot fail to participate in this initiative," Gus Yahya conveyed.

"Of course, this is for the benefit of helping the Palestinian people. Not for anything else," he said.

Yahya stressed that the Central Board of NU does not always immediately hold meetings every time a new international issue arises. However, in the Palestinian context, he believes that there has been no international platform capable of consolidating peace efforts in a concrete way other than the BoP, to date.

"The views I expressed yesterday regarding the Board of Peace are related to the values that we must continue to help Palestine," he said.

Gus Yahya acknowledged that some parties disagree with several parts of the board. However, he emphasized that the main problem is the current lack of alternatives that could serve as a platform for international consolidation to promote peace in Palestine.

"Some people may disagree with the Board of Peace on some of its elements or dimensions. But the problem is that currently there is no alternative platform for building an international effort for Palestinian peace," he said.

It is estimated that over 91.2 million people are members of NU, according to a 2019 post by its official social media account. Comprising over 30% of the total Indonesian population, it is commonly regarded as the largest Islamic organization in the world.

President Prabowo Subianto signed the Board of Peace Charter in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, 22 January 2026. The signing marked the start of the Board of Peace's operations as a new international body to oversee the post-conflict transition, stabilization, and reconstruction process in Palestine's Gaza Strip.

Indonesia’s decision to join the Board of Peace has sparked pro and con among the country’s Muslim community, which makes up more than 85% of Indonesia’s total population. Some groups have openly rejected Indonesia’s membership in the body, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

The rejection was conveyed in an official statement released in late January, prior to Yahya’s remarks. Chairman of MUI for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, even described the Board of Peace as a “clear manifestation of neocolonialism.”

"MUI urges the government to simply withdraw from membership in the Board of Peace... The word ‘peace’ there is actually just a camouflage. Peace cannot possibly be achieved without justice,” Sudarnoto said during a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday, 27 January 2026.

Established in 1976 during Indonesia's former president Suharto's New Order era, MUI is a non-governmental organization consisting of representatives from various religious organizations in Indonesia. One of these organizations is Nahdlatul Ulama, which has recently expressed support for the Board of Peace.

Recently, Indonesian Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated that the country's government will meet the MUI leadership. The government wants to explain Indonesia's membership on the board.

"If we don't participate, how can we provide input (for the Palestinian peace process)?" Prasetyo said in Bogor Regency, West Java, on Monday, 2 February 2026.

(This article includes an article by Alfian Risfil (writer) and Mosita (editor) on the Indonesian edition of RRI.co.id)

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