Prabowo Instructs TNI To Prepare To Send Peace Troops To Gaza

Illustration of the Indonesian National Army TNI (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto ordered the TNI to prepare peacekeepers to serve in Gaza, Palestine, when the Gaza peace-related summit in Egypt, Monday, achieved constructive results and troop deliveries approved by the DK-PBB.

The order to get ready was conveyed directly by President Prabowo to the Deputy Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, General TNI Tandyo Budi Revita, during a limited meeting (ratas) session at the President's private residence, Jalan Kertanegara, Jakarta, Sunday, October 12.

"If there is a constructive agreement, it is possible that the direction will go there (delivery of troops, ed). The President also conveyed this that if an agreement is reached in a good direction, in the sense that peace occurs, and then one of the consequences is that we, Indonesia, are asked to participate in sending peacekeepers. Alhamdulillah, the Deputy Commander of the TNI is also present to start preparing ourselves," said Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi.

President Prabowo, after chairing a limited meeting at his residence, is scheduled to move to the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base (Lanud), Jakarta, Sunday evening, to visit Egypt to attend the Summit on peace in Gaza, Palestine, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh City, Red Sea, Egypt, Monday.

During his visit to Egypt, which may last for a day, President Prabowo was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

The President's presence directly at the Gaza Summit in Egypt has been confirmed by the Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who is also the spokesman for the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"Mr. President conveyed to all of us that yesterday (11/10) he specifically received an invitation. It was a bit sudden from a time perspective, but the invitation really asked for the willingness of Mr. President Prabowo's presence, because it was part of the continuation of the negotiations, which hopefully God willing, can bring peace in Palestine, and especially in Gaza," said Prasetyo Hadi, who after the meeting immediately moved to Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base with the Head of the Indonesian Communications Agency Angga Raka Prabowo, to release President Prabowo's departure.

"Mr. President conveyed to all of us that to maintain good relations, and that is also part of our efforts so far that the President decided to attend the invitation," continued Pras, Prasetyo's nickname.

Regarding the sending of 20,000 TNI soldiers to Gaza as peacekeepers, President Prabowo made the proposal publicly in his speech during the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, last month (23/9).

The President stated: "When the mandate is given by the Security Council (PBB) and the Supreme Assembly (PBB), Indonesia is ready to deploy 20,000 or even more, our sons and daughters to maintain peace in Gaza or elsewhere (conflict, ed.), such as in Ukraine, Sudan, Libya, wherever places that need peace are enforced, peace needs to be maintained, we are ready".