Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto addressed the UN General Assembly on 23/9, stating, "We believe in the United Nations and will continue to support wherever peace needs to be protected, not just with words but with soldiers on the ground. Once the Security Council and the General Assembly make a decision, Indonesia is ready to deploy 20,000, or even more, of our nation's children to Gaza for peacekeeping."

The Indonesian leader called for a ceasefire between the parties involved in the Gaza conflict and urged decisive action from the UN to end the current crisis. He emphasized that violence is not the solution to political conflicts, warning that "violence only begets more violence" and that the world risks falling into "endless wars and a spiral of escalating violence."

President Prabowo added that Indonesia is ready to contribute troops to peacekeeping forces in other hotspots like Ukraine, Sudan, and Libya. As of 2024, Indonesia had deployed 2,715 soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions, making it the sixth largest contributor globally.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto addresses the UN General Assembly on 23/9. Photo: AFP

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto addresses the UN General Assembly on 23/9. Photo: AFP

Addressing the wave of countries recognizing the State of Palestine, President Prabowo considered it a positive sign, as "many major world powers have chosen to stand on the right side of history."

Indonesia recognized Palestine in 1988. The UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal officially recognized the State of Palestine on 21/9, followed by French President Emmanuel Macron a day later. Over 140 countries now support the Palestinian people's aspiration for an independent state.

At the General Assembly session, President Prabowo reaffirmed the two-state solution as "the key to genuine peace." In a subsequent session co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, he added that Indonesia would recognize Israel once Israel recognizes Palestine.

"We need an independent Palestine, but at the same time, we must also recognize and guarantee the safety and security of Israel," President Prabowo stated, believing that the two peoples can coexist peacefully.

The US and several Arab nations have been discussing a post-war plan for Gaza for months, but little progress has been made. Israel maintains its goal of completely destroying Hamas and is conducting a ground offensive in Gaza City, despite earlier proposals from Arab countries for an international force to take charge of security in the region. France and Saudi Arabia co-sponsored the New York Declaration in July, calling for a temporary international force to stabilize Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement.

Thanh Danh (According to AFP)