Indonesia welcomes UN Security Council’s adoption of Trump’s Gaza plan, ministry says

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JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia welcomes the UN Security Council’s adoption of a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and establish an international stabilisation force, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

On Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said it welcomed the resolution and stressed the importance of every party’s involvement in it, “especially the Palestinian Authority”.

“The resolution prioritises conflict resolution and prolonged peace through the capacity building of the Palestinian authorities,” Yvonne said in a statement. “Indonesia will always support an independent and sovereign Palestinian nation.”

The Trump administration has been trying to persuade countries such as Indonesia and Egypt to contribute troops to the peacekeeping force, which will back the process of demilitarising Gaza by decommissioning weapons and destroying military infrastructure.

The world’s largest Muslim-majority nation and a long-standing advocate of the Palestinian cause, Indonesia is ready to deploy up to 20,000 troops, its defence ministry said last week, adding that they would focus on areas like health and infrastructure.

Yvonne did not provide any details about the peacekeeping troops but said the resolution focuses on peacekeeping though a UN-mandated international stabilisation force.

President Prabowo Subianto told the U.N. General Assembly in September that Indonesia was prepared to deploy 20,000 or more peacekeeping troops in Gaza if there was a UN resolution.

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed last month to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza – a ceasefire in their two-year war and a hostage-release deal.

But the UN resolution is seen as a vital way to provide legitimacy for a transitional governing body in Gaza and reassure countries considering sending troops.

Indonesia advocates for a two-state solution in Palestine. It has often condemned Israel’s violence in Gaza and has been sending humanitarian aid. It currently has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

Analysts say Prabowo’s foreign policy stance has shifted slightly in recent months, pointing to a UN speech in October that repeated his call for an independent Palestinian state while stressing the need to guarantee Israel’s safety and security.

(Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by John Mair and David Stanway)