ICMI urges Indonesia to suspend BoP membership following US–Israel attack on Iran

Jimly Asshiddiqie, the chair of the Advisory Board of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars (ICMI), has urged the Indonesian government to suspend its membership obligations in the Board of Peace (BoP) following the United States–Israel attack on Iran. He said the suspension would be conditional, namely in place until two conditions demanded by Indonesia are met.

He stressed that the suspension does not amount to Indonesia withdrawing from the BoP.

For example, regarding the BoP, we could state that our membership obligations are suspended until two conditions are met: first, until the Iran–US–Israel conflict subsides; second, until there is clarity on a timetable for Israel to recognise Palestinian independence. Once such certainty exists, we would resume our activities.

Jimly noted that Indonesia’s relations with the United States have been very good to date and he cited two steps by Indonesia that have pleased Washington about Indonesia’s role. ‘So I think there are two things that have made Donald Trump very happy with Indonesia: firstly, the BoP which had already been established, and secondly, tariffs,’ he said.

With escalating developments in the Middle East, he said there is no harm in scaling back one of the two items. There have already been widespread criticisms directed at the BoP in the wake of the US–Israel attack on Iran.

So, given these changes and new developments, I think the two things that have pleased Donald Trump about Indonesia could be halved.