Trump-Backed Gaza Security Force is Temporary, Indonesia Says
Jakarta. Indonesia said Wednesday that the US President Donald Trump-backed Gaza security force would only be “temporary”, as the world’s largest Muslim-majority country repeated calls for the “two-state solution”.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono has just delivered his annual press statement aimed at providing the public and ambassadors with a picture of Indonesia’s foreign policy. Indonesia — a staunch supporter of Palestinian independence — talked of the Gaza crisis, including Trump’s plan to establish the so-called International Stabilization Force (ISF). This is a team of foreign troops that unites Washington and other countries to train vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza. While Jakarta has declared support for this plan, Sugiono asserted that the ISF would not be permanent.
“Indonesia is actively participating in the discussions to establish the ISF as a transitional step towards a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid access in Gaza. However, the ISF is only a temporary instrument,” Sugiono said in Jakarta.
“Peace through the two-state solution remains the end goal.”
The two-state solution aims to resolve the conflict by establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside that of Israel. It has become the internationally recognized solution to the conflict in Gaza. Sugiono went on to say that Palestinian independence is “part of what the constitution mandates”.
Sugiono’s spokeswoman, Yvonne Mewengkang, recently told the press that talks were ongoing regarding the details of the ISF deployment. “We still need to discuss the rules of engagement, among others. That’s why we cannot state the official number [of how many officers] that Indonesia will contribute to the ISF,” Yvonne said last week.
According to Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, the proposed ISF will have what he calls a “deconfliction mechanism” to reduce risks of friendly fire. The troops will work with Israel and Egypt to secure the border areas, along with the newly trained Palestinian officers, to clear the way for the entry of goods. The peace plan also underlined that the ISF would be temporary.
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