Indonesia Considers US-led Gaza Force,Raising Legal Concerns
Jakarta โ- Indonesia is reassessing its plannedโค peacekeeping mission to Gaza,now considering deploying troops under a United โstates-led stabilization force instead of awaiting aโค United Nations mandate. Teh potential shift, revealed Friday byโ Defense Minister sjafrie โSamsoeddin, introduces significant legal complexities and โdeparts from โฃprior government stipulations.
President Prabowoโฃ Subianto pledged to dispatch approximately 20,000 personnel to Gaza following a ceasefire brokered in October, โinitially emphasizing deploymentโค only under UN authority. โThough, โthe evolving situation andโฃ potential roadblocks within the UN Security Council areโข promptingโข Jakarta to explore alternatives, โspecifically a force coordinated โby โฃtheโข US. This move risks violating international law, as deployments without a UN mandate lack the established legal framework for peacekeeping operations.
The US-coordinated International stabilization Force (ISF) – a โkey componentโ of โPresident Donald Trump’s 20-point โฃpeace plan – aims toโค prevent renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas, safeguard โฃhumanitarian aid, and bolster a transitional government. While details remain limited, the ISF’s โstructure and legal basis are contentious, lacking broad internationalโฃ consensus.
Securing a UN mandate requires unanimous agreement from โthe Security Council’s five โpermanent members – the US, UK, France,โค Russia, and โChina – aโฃ challenging prospect given โexisting โgeopolitical tensions.โ The UNSC is scheduled to vote on Trump’s peace plan Monday, but Russia has โalso submitted a competing resolution. A veto from any permanent member would effectively halt a UN-authorized mission, perhaps paving the way for the โคUS-led โforce despite international legal concerns.