Israeli Media Wrong, Prabowo Emphasises Indonesian Troops Will Not Disarm Hamas
President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has emphasised that the Indonesian troops to be sent to Gaza as part of the Board of Peace (BoP) mission are a Peacekeeping Force.
Therefore, he stated that Indonesia will not be involved in military operations against Hamas or the disarmament of the Palestinian freedom fighters group.
Previously, Israeli media outlet Haaretz reported that Indonesia would deploy the first wave of 500 soldiers to Gaza in May to disarm Hamas.
“We are firm, we do not want to be involved in military actions against Hamas,” said Prabowo at the ‘President Prabowo Answers’ event held at his residence in Bogor Regency, West Java, and broadcast on Thursday (19/3).
“Secondly, we do not want to be involved in taking weapons, de-weaponization, from Hamas. We do not want to participate. What we want is to protect civilians from any attacks,” he continued at the event, quoted from a press release by the Indonesian Government Communication Agency (Bakom).
On that occasion, he stated that the troop deployment plan is currently on hold due to the escalation of the situation between Iran and the US-Israel alliance.
According to Prabowo, the suspension of the troop deployment plan was carried out after consultations with various parties following the increase in regional conflict.
“After this kind of war happens, we consult, but de facto everything is on hold. Yes, I have announced it,” he said.
Previously, on Tuesday (17/3), Haaretz reported ‘Around 500 Indonesian soldiers are expected to enter the Gaza Strip in May to assist in efforts to disarm Hamas’.
However, the report stated that Israeli military officials (IDF) expressed doubts about the Indonesian troops’ ability to disarm Hamas.
In addition, the IDF stated that in recent times, Hamas has been rebuilding its capabilities faster than initially estimated.
“Intelligence indicates that the group has resumed tunnel construction,” as written in the article titled Indonesia to Deploy 500 Troops to Gaza to Disarm Hamas, Amid Israeli Scepticism.
Previously, Indonesia planned to send up to 8,000 TNI personnel for the peacekeeping and humanitarian stabilisation mission in Gaza. The troops were prepared to join the International Stabilization Force (ISF), but implementation is still awaiting an official UN mandate and more conducive conditions on the ground.
Prabowo emphasised that Indonesia’s peacekeeping troop deployment plan to Gaza, Palestine, is not to disarm Hamas. He described the mission as focused on protecting civilians amid the conflict.
Nevertheless, in his statement at his residence, Prabowo revealed that the troop deployment plan is currently on hold due to the escalation of the situation between Iran and the US-Israel collaboration.
“I have been carrying out the Indonesian nation’s struggle since long ago. We have always defended Palestinian independence. I always say, in my discussions with Western figures, we will participate (Board of Peace/BoP) and we are ready to send peacekeeping troops, as long as I say all parties agree to Indonesia’s involvement,” said Prabowo.
Prabowo explained that the main approval for the peacekeeping troop deployment plan must come from Palestinian figures, as well as Muslim-majority countries in the Board of Peace (BoP), such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar, and Egypt.
In addition, he emphasised the importance of approval from Hamas as the party controlling the area.
“And, I also said, de facto, Hamas must accept us. That is what I conveyed. Because we want to be a peacekeeping force,” he stated.
The Board of Peace is a multilateral entity initiated and formed by US President Donald Trump. In the council led by Trump, besides Indonesia, there are several Islamic and Arab countries.
Israel is also part of that organisation, but Palestine is not.