November 15, 2025 | 08:02 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government’s proposal to dispatch 20,000 peacekeeping forces to Gaza, Palestine, is widely viewed as a challenging and high-risk undertaking. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin previously outlined the two mechanisms the government is considering for obtaining approval to send forces into the region.
"There are two alternatives. The first is operating under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). The second alternative is under the approval of an international organization initiated by the President of the United States," Sjafrie stated at the Ministry of Defense office on Friday, November 14, 2025, as quoted by Antara.
This issue gained renewed attention following the recent state visit by a key Middle Eastern partner. President Prabowo Subianto welcomed the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, after his arrival at the Halim Perdanakusumah Air Base, East Jakarta, on Friday, November 14, 2025.
Middle East observer Smith Alhadar assesses that neither deployment option guarantees the safety or operational effectiveness of Indonesian forces. He argues that the current political and security landscape in the Palestine-Israel conflict is not conducive to the presence of foreign forces, including peacekeepers.
Alhadar warned that Israel has a history of disregarding ceasefire agreements and continuing military operations, even when UN forces are present. "If it’s a peacekeeping force under the UN, it should be safer. But looking at Israel's track record in Southern Lebanon, that also does not guarantee safety," Smith said when contacted on Saturday, November 15, 2025.
Smith believes Israel is likely to favor the second option: the deployment of forces under the proposed Gaza Stabilization Force. However, he warns that this option exposes Indonesia to significant risk because stabilization forces are authorized to use weapons against parties deemed to be disrupting stability.
"This could compel Indonesia to directly confront Hamas or other armed groups in Gaza," he explained.
Alhadar highlighted that all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, have publicly refused to demilitarize and disarm. This persistent condition could force any stabilization force into direct confrontation with these groups. "If Indonesia does not participate, it will face pressure from the United States. If it does participate, we risk appearing as a proxy for Israel," Smith asserted.
Humanitarian Mandate Challenges
Beyond the diplomatic risks, Smith believes that the urgency of sending specialized health and construction forces cannot be fulfilled in the current highly volatile security environment. He stressed that forces operating with a humanitarian mandate still cannot function effectively if Israel and Hamas have not achieved a stable ceasefire and agreed upon disarmament.
Smith concluded that deploying forces at this juncture could ultimately backfire on Indonesia, both politically and in terms of security. "The situation in Gaza is very unstable. Sending forces now is tantamount to placing Indonesia in the midst of an unfinished armed conflict," he stated.
President Prabowo previously articulated Indonesia’s readiness to deploy 20,000 citizens to help secure peace in the Gaza region of Palestine. He made this pledge during his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
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