The hoaxes stemming from the Palestine-Israel conflict are becoming increasingly absurd. Recently, an amateur video has been circulating showing a troop send-off ceremony. According to reports, the troops, wearing camouflage similar to that of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), are departing from Indonesia for Palestine.
“TNI soldiers are ready to help Palestine, bravo TNI. Departing in full, returning must also be complete…!” wrote the Facebook account Kosasih Mangkudilaga II on Wednesday (10/18). The account included a 2-minute, 23-second video with captions.
“Departing in full, returning must also be complete. Indonesian TNI to Palestine,” reads the video’s caption. The video also depicts various situations. In addition to the send-off, the officers are also shown on duty, noting that they are riding armored vehicles bearing the UN logo (s.id/TNIkePalestina).
This information is certainly absurd. In the first clip, the TNI soldiers are not wearing UN or UN troop identification bands. In fact, the TNI in the first clip are serving domestically.
An identical video was uploaded by the YouTube channel 712 WIRATAMA. The channel uploaded the video on December 8, 2022. The title read, “YONIF R 712/WT | The tradition of task force departure breaks into tears with family.” The 1-minute, 29-second video is very similar to the initial clip from the Facebook account Kosasih Mangkudilaga II (s.id/Berangkat2022).
Another search showed the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) departing for Papua. The departure was aboard the KRI Teluk Hading (THG-538) at Bitung Ocean Port on Tuesday, December 5, 2022. Then, Tribunnews Manado uploaded the review on December 6, 2022. The title read, “450 Personnel of Yonif Raider 712 Wiratama Sent from Bitung, North Sulawesi, Will Serve in Papua” (s.id/KePapua).
Meanwhile, another clip shows the TNI inside a military vehicle with the word “UN” written on it, also not in Palestine. The full video was uploaded by UNIFIL’s YouTube channel in October 2013.
The title reads, “The Challenge – Gadir & the Indonesians.”
The female reporter is Gadir Hamed, a fresh graduate journalist from Lebanese University. She joined UNIFIL’s Indonesian Battalion for a one-day tour de force, covering the daily lives of peacekeepers. It involved not only armed patrols but also community outreach (s.id/ReportLebanon2013).
Facts
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel seen during the send-off ceremony took place in 2022, with YONIF Raider 712 WIRATAMA during their deployment in Papua. The rest were deployed in Lebanon in 2013.
