![US President Donald Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shake hands as they pose during a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war on October 13, 2025 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. [Suzanne Plunkett - Pool / Getty Images]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-2240469086-scaled-e1760528844600.jpg)
Indonesia may commit to paying $1 billion — roughly Rp17 trillion — to the U.S.-backed Board of Peace. This is not diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or peacebuilding. It asks Indonesians to fund the aftermath of destruction caused overwhelmingly by Israel and the United States, while creating no mechanism to prevent future violence or hold the aggressors accountable. Rp17 trillion, likely drawn from the state budget, is staggering. It could pay hundreds of thousands of teachers, fund essential services, or support major social programs. By comparison, it is 66 times larger than Indonesia’s last U.N. contribution and roughly 500 times Indonesia’s ASEAN contribution. This is a nation-scale expenditure with immediate domestic consequences. Indonesia cannot absorb this payment without serious repercussions. The country […]
