Trump's Gaza Plan Finds Indonesia, Pakistan as Asian Backers

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and Pakistan, who together comprise nearly a quarter of the world's Muslim population, joined countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar in signing a statement backing US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.

The statement issued Monday by the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries, endorsed Trump's 20-point plan, which was introduced on September 29. The countries vowed to "engage constructively" with the US and all other parties to "finalize and implement the agreement."

Though the political leaders of several majority-Muslim countries support the plan, the Hamas resistance group, which carried out the October 7 attacks on Israel that escalated the hostilities, has not issued a response. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the plan.

What have Indonesia and Pakistan said?

Indonesia and Pakistan have both consistently called for an end to the war and condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 65,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed.

Neither country maintains normalized diplomatic ties with Israel, and both say recognizing Israel is contingent on the recognition by Israel of a Palestinian state.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly on September 23, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said, "we must also recognize and guarantee the safety and security of Israel," while calling for an independent Palestinian state.

"Only then can we have real peace," he said, "peace without hate, peace without suspicion."

Prabowo also said Indonesia would be willing to contribute 20,000 troops in any UN-backed mission "to secure peace in Gaza."

Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, an international relations researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia, told DW that signing on to Trump's plan amounts to a "geopolitical win" for Indonesia, as it further aligns the country with the US administration.

Prabowo, who took office in October 2024, was quick to congratulate Trump for winning the US presidential election a month later. In July this year, Prabowo hailed a "new era" of trade relations with the US after securing a tariff deal with Trump.

Similarly, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is building close ties with the US president, praised Trump's moves on Gaza as the plan was announced on Monday.

In a post on X, Sharif shared his "firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary" to secure an end to the war.

"I welcome President Trump's 20-point plan to ensure an end to the war in Gaza. I am also convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region," Sharif wrote on X.

On Monday, Trump mentioned Sharif's statement while announcing the plan during a White House press conference with Netanyahu, and praised his relationship with the Pakistani prime minister and army chief Asim Munir. Trump hosted Sharif and Munir at the White House last week.

Analysts say Pakistan will most likely align itself with the wider consensus of Muslim nations, while also signaling to Washington that it can be a constructive partner.

"Islamabad will frame its position as consistent with long-standing support for Palestinian self-determination but will avoid getting into details that may suggest legitimizing Israeli control," Raza Rumi, a political analyst, told DW.

"Participation in any multinational mechanism, such as policing or peacekeeping in Gaza, will be carefully weighed at the political and military levels," he said.

Indonesia's Trump backlash

The support for Trump's plan by the governments of Indonesia and Pakistan has come with extensive criticism domestically.

Prabowo's office had to deny that it was seeking a normalization of ties with Israel after his speech at the United Nations.

This was exacerbated by Prabowo's image seen on billboards in Tel Aviv depicted among other Islamic leaders in an Israeli promotional campaign supporting Trump's plan.

"Indonesia's position is crystal clear: There will be no recognition of normalization of ties with Israel, be it through Abraham Accords or other platforms [unless] Israel recognizes an independent and sovereign Palestinian state first," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mengkawang told a press conference on Monday.

Prabowo's speech also drew criticism for not directly tying Israel's military actions in Gaza with the ongoing humanitarian crisis. On September 16, a UN-backed commission said Israel was committing "genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza.

"There is no demand for accountability from Israel — and not a single wrongdoing is acknowledged on Israel's part," Kharisma said. "Foreign policy must be accountable to the public."

Shofwan Choiruzzad, an international relations expert at the University of Indonesia, told DW that Jakarta's support for the plan was "well-intentioned but seemingly rushed."

He said the document contained "Israeli bias and fails to incorporate the voices of the Palestinian people" and should be looked at closer by Indonesia's government before officials pledge further support.

Pakistani support could unleash protest

In Pakistan, Trump's proposed Gaza plan sparked fierce reactions from various political, religious, and civil society groups.

Islamabad has portrayed itself as a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause. However, its support for Trump's initiative was condemned for having a pro-Israel stance.

Sharif's comments on the plan ignited outrage on social media, with users accusing him of "pleasing Washington ... undermining Pakistan's position on Palestine," and "legitimizing Israel in a single tweet."

"These voices have already mobilized mass protests in the past two years and will use this moment to amplify criticism of the government," Rumi said.

"For the ruling coalition, this creates a tricky balancing act: appearing aligned with international efforts while not alienating large sections of the domestic public who view any compromise on Palestine as betrayal," he added.

On Tuesday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Trump's Gaza plan was "not our document."

Dar said Pakistan's government would determine whether to contribute troops to a proposed special peacekeeping force in Gaza that would operate alongside Palestinian law enforcement agencies.

While Indonesia has pledged to send 20,000 troops for this initiative, Dar said, Pakistan has yet to make a decision regarding troop contributions.

The proposal by Trump includes provisions for a ceasefire, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, a phased Israeli withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the reconstruction of Gaza with international assistance.

Although Islamabad might secure short-term diplomatic advantages with Washington in backing the plan, the long-term repercussions could involve strained regional relationships, domestic unrest and a loss of credibility within the Muslim world.

"If Pakistan does move toward joining any multinational Gaza initiative, the pressure to keep the streets calm will grow, and the military will step in more firmly to contain unrest," Rumi said.