Indonesia sets strict criteria for commander of Gaza peacekeepers

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has said that the officer who will lead its peacekeeping troop for deployment to Gaza must meet several key qualifications, including strong military diplomacy skills.

“The commander must have the capacity for military diplomacy and strategic communication,” Head of the TNI Information Office Major General Freddy Ardianzah said in a statement to ANTARA from Jakarta on Tuesday.

He added that Indonesia’s peacekeepers need a leader with overseas experience, particularly in international peacekeeping missions.

“The next requirement is for the commander to have a record of serving in international missions or completing training programs abroad,” he noted.

Ardianzah said such experience is essential to ensure that the planned peacekeeping contingent can operate in a coordinated and effective manner in Gaza.

He also emphasized the importance of experience in TNI joint operations, as the Gaza troop will consist of three composite brigades drawn from the Army (TNI AD), the Navy (TNI AL), and the Air Force (TNI AU).

He confirmed that the TNI has begun the selection process for the leadership position and that several three-star officers have been shortlisted. He declined to reveal the names.

“The TNI has selected several candidates, but the final appointment of the commander of the peacekeeping force awaits decisions by the government and the United Nations,” he said.

Preparations for the mission follow President Prabowo Subianto’s directive for the TNI to prepare for a possible UN-mandated peacekeeping operation.

He has repeatedly stated Indonesia’s readiness to deploy 20,000 soldiers to Gaza, including during the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York last September. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has also confirmed the planned deployment.

On November 24, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto announced that the upcoming peacekeeping troop will be led by a three-star officer.

“Preparations for the peacekeeping contingent have entered the selection stage, and our plan is for a three-star general to command the troop,” he said during a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta.

He added that the troop will consist of three composite brigades, each comprising a medical battalion, a construction engineer battalion, a support battalion, and a mechanical support battalion. An advance team will first survey conditions in Gaza before the peacekeepers are deployed.