Shangri-La Dialogue: Prabowo Subianto

AMC's Graeme Acton is at this years Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Founded in 1958, the IISS is the leading global authority on geopolitics and strategy, and acting as a conduit for analysis and debate on issues around geopolitics, power, and conflict.

Indonesia's president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, has told the Shangri-La Dialogue meeting in Singapore that his country would commit to sending peacekeeping troops to Gaza to assist in maintaininbg a ceasefire agreement, if one was signed.

Currently Indonesian Defence Minister, Prabowo said the US three phase proposal for a Gaza ceasefire was a step in the right direction.

Ceasefire talks to date have gone nowhere, with both Hamas and Israel blaming the other for a lack of progress.

However US President Joe Biden has released a new plan, which includes a complete withdrawal from Gaza by the Israeli military, a return of all hostages held by Hamas.

This would be followed by talks to end hostilities, and the development of a reconstruction plan for the entire Gaza Strip.

It’s a plan Prabowo was happy to put his support behind.

"When needed and when requested by the U.N., we are prepared to contribute significant peacekeeping forces to maintain and monitor this prospective ceasefire as well as providing protection and security to all parties and to all sides," Prabowo said.

The former General takes up the Indonesian presidency from Joko Widodo in October.

Prabowo said an investigation into the circumstances of the IDF entry into the Rafah of Gaza was needed, as was a workable solution to the situation in Palestine.

"And that means the rights of not only Israel to exist - but also the rights of the Palestinian people to have their own homeland, their own state, living in peace."

He told the Shangri-La audience that Indonesia was also ready "to evacuate, to receive and to treat with medical care up to 1,000 patients" from Gaza, without delay.

The Indonesia Hospital in Gaza, which was run by the Indonesia NGO “Mer-C” , closed late last year when the Gaza strip was under regular bombardment by Israel.

At the time NGO staff also strongly denied suggestions Hamas was using the 300-bed facility as a base, and rejected footage supplied by the IDF that appeared to show tunnels under the hospital.

Inaugurated in 2016, the hospital became a symbol of solidarity and friendship between Indonesia and the Palestinian people.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and has been a staunch supporter of nationhood for the Palestinians.

• Asia Media Centre