Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said Indonesia’s armed forces, known as the TNI, have highly capable senior officers whose achievements could be demonstrated on the international stage through such appointments.
“The potential of our officers has been achieved, and that achievement will be shown internationally,” Sjafrie told reporters at the Defense Ministry in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
He said participation in the force would give the Indonesian military a broader opportunity to contribute to global peace efforts, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
However, Sjafrie said it remains unclear which TNI officer might eventually be appointed to the deputy commander position within the International Stabilization Force.
“Who will it be? Not yet. That is the responsibility of the TNI commander,” he said.
Security analyst Khairul Fahmi said appointing an Indonesian military officer as deputy commander of the International Stabilization Force could help ensure security for civilians in Gaza.
Fahmi, co-founder of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), said the presence of a senior Indonesian general in the leadership structure could serve as a guarantee for Palestinians.
“For Palestine, the presence of a TNI general at the top of the ISF leadership would be a form of assurance,” Fahmi told ANTARA when contacted in Jakarta recently.
According to Fahmi, placing a senior Indonesian officer in a strategic leadership role could help ensure that any mission carried out aligns with the primary objective of establishing peace in Gaza.
He added that such a position would allow Indonesia to help ensure that stabilization operations do not harm civilians or undermine the rights of Gaza’s population.
“Indonesia could help prevent actions that harm civilians and ensure that any transition of authority is handed to an independent civilian technocratic government in Gaza,” Fahmi said.
The role would also demonstrate Indonesia’s growing influence in international security and peacekeeping initiatives, he added.
Holding the deputy commander post would mean Indonesia is not merely participating as a field force but also contributing to strategic decision-making within the stabilization mission.
“It would place Indonesia at the strategic leadership level shaping and directing ISF operations,” Fahmi said.
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Translator: Walda M, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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