TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) asserts that Indonesia should withdraw from the Board of Peace established by the United States. The foundation condemns President Prabowo Subianto's presence at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Washington D.C., United States.
YLBHI views Indonesia's involvement in the Board of Peace as indicative of the chaos in Prabowo's foreign policy, which diminishes the humanitarian crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel against Palestine.
"YLBHI believes that the public does not need many reasons why Indonesia should immediately withdraw from the Board of Peace," stated YLBHI in a written statement received by Tempo on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
According to the foundation, Indonesia should prioritize the existing international mechanisms and laws, especially while holding the highest position in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Additionally, YLBHI emphasizes that Indonesia should fully support Palestinian independence, instead of aligning with human rights violators. "Indonesia must reevaluate its involvement in the Board of Peace and immediately resign from its membership," YLBHI stated.
YLBHI highlights at least four issues that may arise if Indonesia continues to participate in the Board of Peace. Firstly, Indonesia would contradict international human rights law while also embarrassing itself as the President of the UN Human Rights Council. YLBHI points out that as the President of the Board of Peace, U.S. President Donald Trump has stated, "I don't need International Law." According to YLBHI, Trump's statement directly shows his disregard for international law.
As the President of the UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia is deemed to tarnish its own norms to adhere to international law in order to maintain global human rights stability. "This could also affect Indonesia's diplomatic credibility," YLBHI stated.
Secondly, involvement in the Board of Peace betrays the spirit and values of the Indonesian people, who have historically sided with Palestine. YLBHI believes that Indonesia's public support for Palestinian independence has been historically strong and consistent. According to YLBHI, this solidarity is rooted in the constitutional mandate to oppose colonization and support the right to self-determination.
However, Indonesia's involvement in the Board of Peace creates a moral contradiction if its participation does not explicitly uphold the principles of human rights and self-determination for the Palestinian people. "Israel's inclusion in the Board of Peace alone should be a strong enough reason for Indonesia to immediately withdraw," YLBHI stated.
Moreover, YLBHI also questions the plan to send thousands of Indonesian troops to 'assist' the U.S. and Israel in demilitarizing Hamas in Palestine. YLBHI asserts that this sets a bad precedent against Palestinian rights as a sovereign state.
The third point concerns the disregard for the International Criminal Court (ICC) accountability principle. The ICC previously stated its belief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was responsible for war crimes in Gaza.
According to YLBHI, the international community continues to emphasize the importance of respecting the legal process in the ICC in the context of the situation in Palestine. Non-compliance or disregard for international accountability principles, including towards the ICC mechanism, risks weakening the international legal order based on rules that Indonesia has also supported.
"As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Indonesia has an obligation to support the principle of self-determination and the protection of civil and political rights," said YLBHI.
The foundation emphasizes that consistency with these principles demands that any form of international cooperation not overlook responsibility for serious alleged violations of international law.
Lastly, the absence of human rights mechanisms in the Board of Peace. YLBHI states that international or regional organizations typically have specific human rights mechanisms that limit states' actions according to applicable human rights standards. According to YLBHI, the Board of Peace was not established based on international law, and it lacks accountability and transparency in its human rights mechanisms.
Moreover, YLBHI sees that after one year of Prabowo's administration, the space for civil society to express and gather has narrowed. YLBHI states that the increasing reports of civil space restrictions, the criminalization of activists, and the excessive use of force against demonstrators actually indicate a discrepancy between global commitments and domestic practices.
"With Indonesia's more active participation in the Board of Peace compared to focusing on being the President of the UN Human Rights Council, it will increasingly overlook the international human rights principles that should be emphasized," YLBHI said.
President Prabowo Subianto is set to attend the summit of the Board of Peace on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Prabowo stated that the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace would discuss efforts to achieve peace in Gaza, Palestine.
Indonesia officially joined the Board of Peace initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, January 22, 2026. President Prabowo even directly signed the charter of the Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Prabowo stated that he was present at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. "The first official meeting of the Board of Peace to discuss the implementation and continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza. We continue to strive to pave the way for a real and sustainable solution to the issue of Palestine," Prabowo said in Washington D.C., United States, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, local time.
Read: Over 20 Nations Join Trump's Board of Peace Inaugural Summit
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