STATEMENT BY
MS. NORDIANA ZIN ZAWAWI
COUNSELLOR
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE OF THE
79TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AGENDA ITEM 59: PERMANENT SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM, AND OF THE ARAB POPULATION IN THE OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN OVER THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES
16 OCTOBER 2024, CONFERENCE ROOM 2, UNHQ
Thank you, Chair,
Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uganda on behalf of the G77 and China.
- The recent report on this agenda item is a profound and heart-breaking reminder of the deteriorating situation in Palestine and the Syrian Golan. Despite the comprehensive and harrowing details presented in the report, the continued inaction to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people raises difficult questions. While we are actively pursuing the 2030 Agenda and implementing its SDGs, how can we turn a blind eye on the situation in Gaza and choose to leave the Palestinian people behind?
Mr. Chair,
- Israeli forces have continued to destroy civilian infrastructure such as roads, major water pipes, electricity network, hospitals and schools. The UN reported that it would take approximately 80 years to reconstruct housing units that were fully destroyed.
- The agriculture sector in Gaza is facing an unprecedented crisis, with physical damage exceeding three-and-a-half times the total value added in 2023. Agricultural infrastructure has suffered extensive damage, with over 20 percent of greenhouses, animal shelters, and agricultural wells destroyed, along with approximately 15 percent of agricultural warehouses.
- Based on the report, we can deduce that what we see in Gaza today is not merely a humanitarian crisis; it is a systemic collapse. The region is left without what could be described as an “economy.” The means of production have been decimated, self-sustainment is nearly impossible, and employment opportunities have dwindled to a bare minimum.
Mr. Chair,
- The violence and destruction perpetrated by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory and the Syrian Golan must stop. Malaysia calls for an immediate ceasefire. We urge Israel to cease the exploitation of Palestinian resources, which further exacerbates the hardships faced by the Palestinian people. The natural resources of the occupied territories belong to the Palestinian population, and their rightful access to these resources must be recognized and restored.
- We also welcome the recent Advisory Opinion rendered by the International Court of Justice in July. We commend the successful adoption of Resolution ES-10/24, which sets forth a clear timeline for Israel to end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to halt the expansion of settlements that further entrench this occupation. Strict adherence to all pertinent United Nations resolutions is necessary, to ensure justice and accountability.
- Malaysia echoes the Secretary General’s concern over the chronic underfunding of UNRWA. In this regard, Malaysia calls upon Member States to continue to support and fund the critical work of UNRWA by offering substantial funding to the Agency. By supporting UNRWA, we are investing in education, healthcare, and social stability for Palestinian refugees—an investment that pays dividends not just for them, but for the entire region.
Mr. Chair,
- Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause remains resolute. The only way to achieve a just and durable solution to the Palestinian question is by granting the Palestinian people their inalienable right to self-determination, through the establishment of a free and independent state of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Thank you.