President Prabowo Signals Possible Exit from Gaza Board of Peace

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has signaled that Indonesia is prepared to withdraw from the newly formed Gaza Board of Peace (BoP) if the international body fails to deliver a concrete path toward a sovereign and independent Palestine.

The President’s stance was revealed following a high-level meeting with over 40 prominent Muslim leaders and Islamic organizations at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The dialogue focused on Indonesia’s controversial involvement in the BoP, an initiative spearheaded by the administration of US President Donald Trump Jr.

During the meeting, KH Cholil Nafis, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), voiced strong skepticism, warning against a "pseudo-peace" that maintains the status quo of occupation. He specifically urged the President to ensure that any Indonesian peacekeeping forces deployed to Gaza would never be positioned against Palestinians fighting for their freedom.

"We don't want just a false sense of peace while they (the Palestinian people) are oppressed. We want (the Palestinian people) to be peaceful and free," Cholil Nafis told the President, as quoted by Antara.

In response to the concerns raised, President Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia's membership in the Board of Peace remains strictly conditional and strategic. He outlined a clear three-tier approach to handling dissent within the organization, starting with the right to refuse any decisions that directly contradict Indonesia's national principles.

Furthermore, the President noted that if the board's policies begin to diverge from Indonesia's stance, the nation will choose to abstain or remain absent from those specific actions. 

Ultimately, he affirmed that if Indonesia finds itself unable to influence the body or if the board shifts its focus away from the goal of Palestinian independence, he is fully prepared to lead an exit from the Board of Peace entirely.

"He (the president) responded: 'We are part of the BoP, but we can opt out (of BoP decisions) if they don't align with our opinions. Secondly, if he can't make changes, he (President Prabowo) is ready to leave the BoP. That's what I understood," Kiai Cholil recounted to the press.

Foreign Minister Sugiono confirmed this firm diplomatic stance, clarifying the "corridors" of Indonesia's participation. He noted that the ultimate objective remains a peaceful Gaza and a fully sovereign Palestinian state.

"Yes, if it doesn't go according to what we want: first, a peaceful situation in Gaza... and ultimately, Palestinian independence and sovereignty. I think that's the trajectory we want to achieve," Sugiono stated.

The President’s willingness to walk away highlights Indonesia’s delicate balancing act: maintaining a seat at the table to influence global policy while ensuring its long-standing constitutional mandate to support decolonization remains untarnished. ***

https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5393882/prabowo-buka-opsi-keluar-bop-jika-palestina-tak-merdeka