Indonesia President Prabowo takes up ‘sudden invitation’ to attend Gaza peace summit in Egypt

JAKARTA: Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto is set to attend a world leaders’ summit in Egypt on Monday (Oct 13) to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza that has been ongoing for more than two years, in a move that an expert told CNA will be closely watched back home. 

Prabowo arrived at around 7am local time, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, according to a statement from the Presidential Office. 

The peace summit, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is expected to bring together around 20 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Jordan's King Abdullah II among others.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also among those scheduled to attend, while Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu purportedly accepted an invitation at the last minute. But Netanyahu's has since clarified that the prime minister will not be attending the summit. 

At the peace summit, Prabowo is expected to witness the signing of a peace and ceasefire agreement on the war in Gaza, according to a statement by his presidential office on Monday. 

“President Prabowo’s invitation to the summit demonstrates Indonesia’s important role in promoting peace in the Middle East, particularly the Gaza conflict,” read the statement.

On Monday, the Times of Israel cited an unnamed source as saying that Prabowo will arrive in Israel on Tuesday.

However, this was refuted later on Monday by Indonesia’s foreign minister Sugiono, who was widely reported by local media as saying that Prabowo has no plans to travel to Israel.

“It’s not true. According to the initial plan, the President will return to Indonesia after the event in Egypt concludes,” said Sugiono in a written statement, as reported by online news outlet detik.

A ‘SUDDEN’ INVITATION

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said on Sunday that the invitation was received unexpectedly on Saturday and had not been on Prabowo’s agenda, though he did not elaborate where the invite came from.

“Indeed, the timing was quite sudden, but the invitation earnestly requested President Prabowo’s presence, as it is part of the continuation of peace negotiations that hopefully, will bring peace to Palestine, especially Gaza,” said Prasetyo, as quoted by Kompas. 

He added that Prabowo's participation underscores the Southeast Asian nation's commitment to maintaining good diplomatic relations and supporting peace efforts.

Prabowo has also instructed the Indonesian Armed Forces to prepare peacekeeping troops for possible deployment in the Gaza Strip, depending on the outcome of the peace summit in Egypt and an approval from the UN Security Council, reported news agency Antara. 

“If a constructive agreement is reached, a troop deployment is possible. Should the talks lead to a positive outcome or peace, one consequence could be a deployment involving Indonesia,” Prasetyo was quoted as saying on Sunday by Antara. 

PRABOWO’S GROWING INTERNATIONAL STANDING AND ‘CREDIBILITY’

Prabowo’s invitation to attend the summit in Egypt reflects Indonesia’s growing international standing and “credibility”, an expert on international relations told CNA. 

Indonesia is believed to be the only Southeast Asian nation attending the peace conference while also being one of the few that has not established diplomatic ties with Israel. 

“President Prabowo is charismatic domestically and widely accepted internationally,” Teuku Rezasyah from Padjajaran University said, noting that Indonesia also has the largest Muslim population in the world. 

Teuku cautioned, however, that Prabowo should be mindful of the symbolism surrounding the event. 

Minor gestures made by Prabowo during the meeting could be interpreted differently, including if he is sitting or standing close to Israeli officials which could be perceived as a sign of improving relations, Teuku told CNA. 

“The Indonesian public will be watching Prabowo’s role closely and it is important that his visit does not give the impression that it has anything to do with establishing diplomatic relations with Israel,” he said. 

Amid conflicting reports, Netanyahu reportedly accepted an invitation to join the summit at the eleventh hour following a phone call with Egypt's Abdel Fatah, according to The Times of Israel. Trump had listened in to the call. But Netanyahu's office has since rubbished the claims. 

Separately, Teuku noted that Trump may use the occasion as an opportunity to encourage closer ties between Israel and countries that have yet to recognise it diplomatically. 

“Trump could later tell the American public that the summit in Egypt exceeded expectations,” he said. 

“In this context, Prabowo must firmly state that his presence is to help resolve a crisis that has persisted since 1948 and has claimed countless lives.” 

United Nations investigators last month accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians”.

Prabowo had earlier offered to send at least 20,000 troops as peacekeepers to Gaza to safeguard any future peace deal during his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Sep 23. 

Additional reporting by Denny Armandhanu.