Indonesia is preparing a large military contingent of 20,000 personnel for a potential peacekeeping operation in the Gaza Strip, the country's Defence Minister has confirmed.
The planned deployment is intended to focus heavily on humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, with soldiers trained primarily in health and construction specialisations.
Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the move was based on a direct instruction from President Prabowo Subianto.
"The thinking is that we maximize the preparation of 20,000 of our soldiers, but their specifications are focused on health and also construction," Mr Sjamsoeddin stated.
He made the comments in Jakarta on Friday following a meeting with Major General Pilot Yousef Ahmed Al-Hunaity, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Conditions for Deployment
The Minister outlined that the deployment of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) contingent is dependent on securing international approval through one of two primary mechanisms:
- United Nations (UN) Framework: Deployment under the auspices of a formal UN peacekeeping mission.
- International Organisation: Operating under an international body that is yet to be established, potentially initiated by the President of the United States.
Mr Sjamsoeddin cautioned that the process of finalising a plan would require significant time and a "joint agreement," stressing that international and regional consensus was paramount.
Regional Consensus Required
Indonesia’s involvement, he added, is contingent on the approval of key Middle Eastern nations.
"We will be fully involved in supporting this if all countries with the competence agree on Indonesia's involvement, especially for the Arab countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, and the Emirates," the Minister confirmed.
Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, has historically been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and has frequently participated in UN peacekeeping missions globally.
