Jakarta: Indonesia has announced its willingness to withdraw from the "Peace Committee" initiated by President Donald Trump if it does not align with the interests of the Palestinian people. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed this stance amid mounting criticism from Muslim groups within the nation.
According to Thai News Agency, President Prabowo, head of the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, has faced backlash after agreeing to join the committee, which is tasked with sending troops to the Gaza Strip as part of a stabilization force under a ceasefire brokered by President Trump. The ceasefire aims to end the ongoing two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. Senior US officials have acknowledged that the current security situation in the Middle East could influence the timeline for deploying the international force, which has received approval from the UN Security Council, a significant supporter of Indonesia's involvement.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono announced that all discussions concerning the peace committee have been temporarily suspended due to ongoing conflict in Iran. In response to domestic concerns, President Prabowo convened a meeting with the nation's Islamic leaders to clarify Indonesia's participation in the committee. Hanif Alatas of the Islamic Brotherhood noted that President Prabowo assured the leaders that Indonesia is ready to withdraw immediately if the committee is deemed not beneficial to the Palestinians or misaligned with Indonesia's national interests.
The Indonesian Council of Ulama, a leading religious organization, has previously urged the government to sever cooperation with the United States, citing the US's role in the Iran-Israeli conflict. Critics fear that Indonesia's participation in the committee could compromise its long-standing support for Palestine. Conversely, Nahl al-Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, advocated for the government to use its position on the committee to promote de-escalation of violence in the region, suggesting a postponement of the committee's term until peace negotiations regarding the US-Israeli-Iran conflict can be achieved.