Indonesia joins Trump's 'Board of Peace,' stirring debate at home

At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, US President Donald Trump launched a new body he called the "Board of Peace," and Indonesia signed on. As Al Jazeera reports, the board was first pitched as a way to rebuild Gaza, though Trump said it could "do pretty much whatever we want to do." Indonesia was one of 19 countries to sign the founding charter, alongside Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, and others, while several European states, including the UK and France, declined.

President Prabowo Subianto said "Indonesia is ready to participate," calling it "a chance to achieve peace in Gaza." The board's leadership is heavily American, with an executive council including Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the advisers Jared Kushner and Tony Blair. Rubio described it as "not just a Board of Peace, but a board of action."

The move stirred real controversy at home. Indonesia has long backed the Palestinian cause and prided itself on a "free and active" foreign policy that avoids taking sides between big powers. Joining a body led by Trump looked to many like a break from that tradition. Prabowo tried to reassure critics: he later pledged up to 8,000 troops to a Gaza stabilization force and told Islamic groups he would pull out if the effort did not actually help Palestinians.

Why it matters

This is about how Indonesia positions itself in the world, and whether it can work with Washington on Gaza without giving up its support for Palestinians, which many Indonesians feel strongly about. The choice shapes the country's image at home and abroad. Watch whether Indonesia's role brings real help to Gaza, or whether the promised troops and support quietly fade.