Five Indonesian Citizens Arrested by Israel; Observers Question Function of Board of Peace

Middle East observer from the University of Indonesia, Yon Machmudi, has questioned the functionality of the Board of Peace (BoP) following the arrest of five Indonesian citizens by Israel, an entity that is a member of the BoP.

“If a peace mission (from the Global Sumud Flotilla) is met with arrests and violence, I believe this must be a point of consideration within the Board of Peace,” Yon stated in a brief message on Tuesday. He noted that the BoP, established by US President Donald Trump, was intended to represent the side of peace, yet current Israeli policies and actions appear to directly contradict those values.

Yon suggested that Indonesia must immediately lodge a protest with the BoP. He further argued that if Indonesia’s protest is ignored, the government must demonstrate firmness by considering withdrawal from the institution, as it would render the BoP ineffective.

In a related press conference on Monday evening, activist Wanda urged the public to pressure the government to exit the BoP, citing Israel’s actions against humanitarian volunteers.

According to reports from the Global Peace Convoy Indonesia Command Centre in Istanbul, the five Indonesian victims were intercepted by Israel on Monday, 18 May 2026. The individuals include Andi Angga Prasadewa from Rumah Zakat, aboard the vessel Josef, as well as Thoudy Badai, Rahendro Herubowo, and Andre Prasetyo Nugroho, who were aboard the vessel Ozgurluk.

Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yvonne Mewengkang, revealed that at least ten ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla were intercepted by Israeli soldiers. The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has urged Israel to release the detained Indonesian citizens.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the Israeli Government to immediately release all ships and crews of the international humanitarian mission currently being detained,” stated Yvonne.