Prabowo Subianto, facing domestic criticism for joining US counterpart Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace,” has insisted that Indonesia will not pay the $1 billion fee required for permanent membership.
In a statement published on the presidential YouTube channel on Sunday, Prabowo clarified that Jakarta had only committed peacekeeping troops to the initiative, not financial contributions.
The “Board of Peace” was formed after the Trump administration, working with Qatar and Egypt, brokered a ceasefire in October to end two years of war in Gaza. However, the requirement for countries to pay $1 billion for permanent membership has drawn criticism, with some calling it a “pay-to-play” version of the United Nations Security Council.
Prabowo, a former general, has faced backlash from Indonesian Muslim groups over the decision to join the board and pledge 8,000 peacekeeping troops to Gaza. He attended the initiative’s inaugural meeting in Washington last month.
He later signalled that Indonesia could withdraw if the initiative fails to benefit Palestinians or align with national interests. “We never said that we wanted to contribute $1 billion,” he said, adding that no financial commitments had been made.
Prabowo also noted that Indonesia could exit any agreement, including a recent tariff deal with the United States, if it undermines national interests. Meanwhile, discussions with Washington on a potential Gaza peacekeeping mission have been put “on hold,” according to state news agency Antara, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela.
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