Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, and a very good afternoon,
His Excellency Joko Widodo
President of the Republic of Indonesia,
His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas
President of the State of Palestine,
His Excellency Tan Sri Iyad Ameen Madani
Secretary-General of the OIC,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
First and foremost, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to His Excellency President Joko Widodo and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for hosting this Extraordinary Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Let me also take this opportunity to commend His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas and the OIC Secretary-General for their untiring efforts in convening this Extraordinary Summit on an issue that is of great importance to the Muslim Ummah.
2. The convening of this Extraordinary Summit is a clear manifestation of the OIC Member States’ strong and enduring commitment to the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We are hopeful that this Extraordinary Summit would be able to work out new approaches and strategies to counter Israel’s continuous illegal occupation of Palestine and address the plight of the Palestinian people.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
3. This year marks forty-nine years of illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory by Israel. What this means is that every facet of Palestinian civil and economic life are completely controlled by the Israeli regime. Palestinian people, including children, continue to be marginalized and oppressed by the Occupying Power. Without a doubt, this is against internationally accepted norms and principles of human rights, and the rule of law.
4. The current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory remains tense since the provocations by the Israeli regime in and around the holy sites of Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We condemn in the strongest terms any and all attempts to alter the character and status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
5. The report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Gaza, released during the 29th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015, also highlighted the gravity of Israel’s atrocities against the population of Gaza. It detailed the brutal attacks by the Israeli forces on Palestinian homes and also families.
6. Such atrocities continue to fuel the vicious cycle of violence. This situation needs to end urgently. Inaction only emboldens Israel to commit further violations and bring greater miseries to the Palestinian people.
7. To make progress on the Palestinian question would require our collective efforts, as well as that of the international community. We must step-up efforts and ensure that we do not lose our focus on this issue that has remained unresolved for decades.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
8. Pending a final and comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian issue, Malaysia reiterates the call for UN or international protection for the Palestinian people, a position that was conveyed during the UN Security Council Quarterly Open Debate on the Middle East on 16 October 2015 and 26 January 2016.
9. Such UN protection, which is in line with international humanitarian law, could constitute a confidence-building measure, prevent continuing massacres and gross violations of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
10. Malaysia has also called for the international community to pursue all legal, diplomatic and economic channels in order to put pressure on the Israeli government to stop its illegal settlement policy.
11. As a long-term solution, the two-state solution remains the best approach for both Palestine and Israel. There is no other way forward, other than to revive the peace talks between the two parties. Efforts should be intensified to make both sides return to the negotiating table.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
12. Our brotherly country Palestine, is in dire need of continuous assistance from the international community. Malaysia fully supports any programmes that would contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic situation and well-being of the Palestinian people. Therefore, Malaysia would like to call on our brotherly Member States to continue rendering their support and assistance to Palestine.
13. In this regard, Malaysia welcomes the announcement of the re-establishment of the Palestinian Unity Government and would like to reiterate our unstinted support.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
14. In concluding, Malaysia would like to state its full support for the Jakarta Declaration and the Resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, which will be adopted at the end of this Summit.
15. We hope that the action-oriented measures as outlined in the Jakarta Declaration, will continue to keep the Palestinian issue on the agenda of the international community and contribute to the alleviation of the sufferings of the Palestinian people.
Thank You.