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Indonesia sees Iran war as a sign to quit Gaza Peace Board

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Jakarta Globe - March 20, 2026

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia sees the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran as a sign to quit the Gaza peace board, according to President Prabowo Subianto, although Jakarta wishes to consult with major Arab nations before arriving at a decision.

Critics have been urging Indonesia to leave the Board of Peace since the group came to life early this year. The board – led by US President Donald Trump in perpetuity – focuses on bringing peace to Gaza and rebuilding the war-torn enclave.

However, public trust towards the group had further weakened after its founding members, the US and Israel, launched a military campaign against non-member Tehran in end-February, which quickly escalated into a regional conflict.

Speaking to senior journalists and experts, Prabowo repeated Indonesia's plan to withdraw from the freshly minted organization if it fails to benefit Palestinians. He was then asked whether the US-Israeli attacks could be a good enough reason to finally leave.

"The [Iran war] is indeed a very strong indicator," Prabowo replied, while saying that Jakarta still intends to "synchronize" or discuss with its other partners in the group.

"We want to hear what Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and other countries think."

Indonesia has been working in concert with seven other Muslim-majority nations in matters related to Gaza. They are Qatar, Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

In late September 2025, Trump even pitched his Gaza peace plan to Prabowo and his counterparts from the aforementioned economies at a New York meeting. All eight countries founded the Board of Peace and have issued several joint statements in response to Israeli atrocities. Despite its wish to gather input from partners, Jakarta still has the final say on its membership.

"Indonesia shall quit the Board of Peace if there is no hope and its missions are counterproductive. ... If it becomes a waste of time, energy, and does not serve our national interests. ... I would not even wait for the seven other countries to make the decision," Prabowo said.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang previously stated that Indonesia had put any talks related to the board "on hold".

"Our priority is to make sure our citizens in the Middle East are safe and sound. We also want to make a comprehensive assessment of what is going on in the region," the diplomat told a press briefing last week.

Tehran is not a member of the Gaza peace board. Iranian envoy to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi also refused to comment much on Jakarta's membership, citing that it is a decision made by the Indonesian government.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-sees-iran-war-as-a-sign-to-quit-gaza-peace-boar

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