New York: Indonesia is prepared to deploy 20,000 soldiers to Gaza as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, President Prabowo Subianto announced at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
“We must not remain silent while justice and legitimacy are denied to Palestinians in this hall,” Subianto said, urging nations to protect “the powerful and the weak alike.” He highlighted Indonesia’s record as a key contributor to UN missions and pledged to provide personnel “where peace is needed, not only with words but with action.”
The president confirmed that Indonesia would send “20,000 or more of its sons and daughters to help keep the peace in Gaza or elsewhere, even in Ukraine, Sudan, or Libya,” if the UN Security Council and the General Assembly authorise such a deployment.
Commitment to a two-state peace
Reiterating Indonesia’s long-standing stance, Subianto voiced full backing for a two-state solution, calling for both Palestine and Israel to exist as “free and independent, safe and secure from threats and terrorism.”
Warning of the “catastrophic situation” in Gaza, he urged swift international action. “This community of nations must take a decisive stance to stop this catastrophe, or the world will enter a very dangerous situation of unending wars and escalating violence,” he said, adding that “violence cannot be used to answer any political conflict because violence can only beget more violence.”
Subianto also said that Indonesia would recognise Israel on the same day Israel recognises a Palestinian state. “The only solution is two nations—two descendants of Abraham—living in reconciliation, peace and harmony. Arabs, Jews, Muslims and Christians living together,” he said.
He concluded his address with an interfaith greeting, “Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, Shalom, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om, Namo Budhaya. Thank you very much.”
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has no diplomatic ties with Israel. Prabowo’s announcement came as international support for Palestinian statehood gained momentum at UNGA.
On Sunday, September 21, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada and Australia formally recognised the State of Palestine, drawing criticism from Israel and the United States. The next day, France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco followed suit.
