February 4, 2026 | 03:42 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto vowed to withdraw from the Trump-backed Board of Peace if it fails to advocate for Palestinian independence, said deputy chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Cholil Nafis. Cholil, among other representatives of Islamic civil society groups, met with President Prabowo on Tuesday to discuss Indonesia's membership on the peace board.
During the meeting, Cholil said several figures expressed skepticism about how the Board of Peace—initiated by Israel's strongest ally—would alleviate the plights of the Palestinian people.
According to Cholil, after his meeting on Tuesday, February 3, Prabowo answered that he's "ready to withdraw from the Board of Peace if no changes are being made."
The deputy chair of MUI said Prabowo assured Indonesia would abstain if the actions of the Board of Peace do not align with the principle of Palestinian independence. "He (Prabowo) responded that we may not adopt [the decision] in the Board of Peace if it does not align with our stance," he said.
Cholil mentioned that they do not hope for the Board of Peace to become the extension of U.S. President Donald Trump. "Don't let this be the Board of Trump instead of the Board of Peace," he said.
Cholil mentioned several parameters must be achieved for peace to truly materialize in Palestine, with Palestinian independence being the first.
Secondly, he said Palestine must be able to manage its own country. "And third, of course, Palestine must be involved in the Board of Peace," he said.
But Cholil said he respected Prabowo's stance of wanting to fight from within the Board of Peace. "He requested time to try to advocate from within, because it might be more effective than [fighting] from the outside. That was his answer," he said.
President Prabowo invited several Islamic organizations to the Presidential Palace on Tuesday. More than 50 people were invited to the Palace to discuss with Prabowo, including on the topic of the Board of Peace. Some of the organizations in attendance included Muhammadiyah, the Indonesian Ulema Council, and Nahdlatul Ulama.
The closed-door meeting was also attended by several state officials, including Foreign Minister Sugiono, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Foreign Minister Sugiono earlier stated that the government could leave the Board of Peace if its intended goals, such as Palestinian independence, are not achieved.
According to Sugiono, the government opens the option to withdraw from the organization if it does not align with the vision and mission of peace. "Yes, if it doesn't align with what we want," Sugiono said at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Read: Foreign Minister Says Indonesia May Withdraw from Board of Peace
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