Unthinkable Alliance: Israel’s Fiercest Critics May Soon Keep the Peace in Gaza

In a geopolitical head-scratcher that's equal parts eyebrow-raising and eyebrow-lowering diplomacy, Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, and Pakistan, long a vocal Israel critic, are emerging as frontrunners to dispatch thousands of troops to Gaza's battered streets, not to wage war against the Jewish state, but to help enforce the fragile ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump.

It's as wild as it sounds: two countries with zero formal ties to Israel, histories of fiery anti-Zionist rhetoric, and populations seething over the October 7, 2023, fallout are now in advanced talks to play cop in the rubble-strewn Strip.

But dig deeper, and you will see that it's cold, calculated realpolitik, rooted in Trump's 20-point peace blueprint, UN peacekeeping cred, and a shared Muslim stake in Palestinian survival.The buzz hit fever pitch this week after POLITICO's bombshell report: Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan top the list of non-Arab nations vying to supply boots for an International Stabilization Force (ISF), a multinational squad tasked with training Palestinian cops, securing aid routes, and keeping Hamas's remnants from reigniting the fuse.

U.S. defense insiders peg Indonesia as the most gung-ho, with President Prabowo Subianto's September 23 UN General Assembly vow to deploy "20,000 or even more" troops still echoing, framed as a UN-mandated mission to midwife a two-state solution. Pakistan's in the mix too, though Islamabad's playing coy: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on September 30 that top brass will decide soon, citing the need for Security Council buy-in to avoid "undocumented" chaos. No boots on the ground yet, the ISF's still a blueprint, but with the ceasefire's phase one wrapping (all 20 living hostages freed, nine out of 28 bodies returned), phase two's governance scramble has these players circling.

Flash back to September's UNGA circus: Prabowo, a former general eyeing Indonesia's global flex, pitched his troop pledge as a "guardian of peace" nod, invoking Jakarta's top-dog status in UN blue helmets (over 2,700 deployed worldwide). Now, it's no secret Indonesia hates Israel (no embassy in Tel Aviv, mass protests torching Israeli flags post-October 7) but this is classic Joko Widodo-era pragmatism 2.0: Humanitarian halo, economic upside (Gaza reconstruction contracts could funnel billions Jakarta's way), and sticking it to rivals like China in the Muslim world sweepstakes.

Pakistan's FM Dar echoed the vibe during a Trump huddle with eight Muslim heavyweights (including Saudi, Turkey, Qatar), greenlighting the plan after tweaks to nix "Israeli bias."

For Islamabad, grappling with economic tailspins and Taliban headaches, it's a low-risk power play: Bolster Palestinian "internal affairs" via local police (with ISF as backup), sidestep direct Israel chats, and score brownie points with the OIC without firing a shot.

Hamas? They've signaled thumbs-up, per Dar, seeing it as a shield against reoccupation.

Indonesia's never recognized the Jewish state, banning trade and travel since '48; public fury over Gaza's dead fueled 2024 riots outside its "Israeli-linked" businesses (read: none).

Pakistan's fiercer, no ties since partition, nukes partly aimed at Tel Aviv in hawkish fantasies, and Imran Khan-era chants of "From the river to the sea" still echo in PTI rallies. Yet both inked Trump's plan September 26 alongside Riyadh and Doha, ditching hardline isolation for "stability first."

Critics at home howl treason: Reddit's r/geopolitics lit up with fears of Indonesian troops "expanding Zionism," while Pakistani clerics decry it as "Abraham Accords lite." X (formerly Twitter) boils too: Posts speculate Trump's "nice" to Islamabad for the muscle, while one prays for Malaysia to pile on (1,200 troops floated).

But pragmatists see the win: No U.S. or IDF boots in Gaza proper (Washington's capping at 200 coordinators north of the border), just Muslim-led policing to disarm Hamas and rebuild.

Trump's blueprint, phased hostage returns, aid floods, Hamas neutering, hinges on this ISF to avoid a power vacuum. CENTCOM's sweating the logistics (Indonesia's outside their turf), but with Azerbaijan (pro-Israel tilt) rounding the trio, it's a diverse squad.

Rollout? Tentative: Training Palestinian forces first, full deployment post-Hamas handover. If it sticks, Gaza gets a Muslim makeover minus the mess; if not, back to square one.

For now, it's peak 2025 absurdity: Old foes as new friends, all under Uncle Sam's wink.