Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Monday clarified that Indonesia will not pay $1 billion for Gaza Peace Board membership. He emphasized the country’s commitment is limited to providing peacekeeping troops. The statement comes amid concerns over potential impact on Indonesia’s national budget.
According to foreign media, the president stated Indonesia’s role in Gaza is strictly peacekeeping, and no financial pledge was ever made. He added the country is ready to deploy the required number of troops to maintain security in the region.
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Earlier, Indonesia offered to send over 20,000 personnel to support peace in Gaza. The president’s clarification aims to address public criticism regarding perceived financial obligations linked to board membership.
The remarks follow a February statement by the Indonesian finance minister suggesting that funding could come from the defense budget. President Subianto stressed that this is incorrect and that Indonesia will provide only human resources for peacekeeping duties.
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During the board’s inaugural meeting in Washington, $17 billion in initial pledges were announced for Gaza’s reconstruction, emergency aid, and security stabilization. The United States pledged $10 billion, while nine other countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar committed $7 billion collectively.