At the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, President Prabowo Subianto pledged that Indonesia would send 8,000 or more troops to join an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza. Standing beside U.S. President Donald Trump, he expressed confidence that real peace could be achieved and that Indonesia was ready to help make it work.

Soon after, Indonesia was named Deputy Commander of the force. ISF Commander Major General Jasper Jeffers announced that Jakarta had accepted the role. Foreign Minister Sugiono said Indonesia’s leadership position would strengthen its contribution and help safeguard its troops. He stressed that established international standards would protect personnel welfare and that Indonesia would push for clear mandates and rules of engagement. He also clarified that the appointment had no connection to diplomatic normalization with Israel.

These assurances invite further questions.

Leadership titles do not substitute for legal clarity. Under what binding mandate will this force operate? The Board of Peace is not a United Nations body. There is no publicly confirmed Security Council resolution authorizing the deployment. If this mission sits outside a United Nations framework, what legal protections shield Indonesian troops if hostilities resume? Who ultimately defines the rules of engagement?

If Indonesia must still push for clear mandates, does that mean those mandates are not yet settled?

Indonesia’s peacekeeping record has relied on neutrality under United Nations command. This mission is different. It is driven by a U.S. initiated structure. Without a United Nations umbrella,........

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