STATEMENT BY
MR. MOHD HAFIZ OTHMAN
MINISTER COUNSELLOR
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION
NEW YORK, 28 OCTOBER 2019
Mr. President,
1. I join others in welcoming and thanking our briefer today, and I commend you for convening this open debate.
2. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Mr. President,
3. For decades, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has cast a shadow over the Middle East. The region continues to experience the vicious cycle of war, political tensions, and divisions. Many have been killed, injured, and displaced. For Palestinians, humanity is on the brink of failure.
4. Let me be clear; the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not just about a dispute of land. All Palestinians, including women, youth, and children are entitled the same rights as we do – rights for a dignified life, justice, freedom of fear, and prosperity. But our solidarity with the Palestinian people must not be embedded just in empathy. As worthy as that is, we owe them an obligation to do everything in our power to end their long ordeal.
5. For the same reason, Malaysia continues to extend its support and commitment to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) that provides assistance, protection, and advocacy for over 20 percent of the world’s refugees. This is not a matter of charity. We see this as the responsibility of the international community towards protecting and promoting human rights and dignity of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.
Mr. President,
6. The recent violence in Gaza and the West Bank continues to undermine hopes for a peaceful settlement to the question of Palestine. We cannot continue to stand idle and allow Israel to continue to execute brutal occupation and repressive policies that violate numerous UN resolutions and international law, including humanitarian law.
7. Malaysia cannot and will not recognize any blatant seizure of Palestinian land by Israel for their settlements. It constitutes a flagrant infringement on the Palestinian people’s rights and their right to self-determination. We also reject any unilateral action regarding the final status of Jerusalem.
8. Malaysia, therefore, calls upon the international community to act swiftly and decisively to avoid further loss of defenceless and innocent Palestinian lives. When we served this Chamber in 2016, Malaysia, alongside other council members, succeeded in adopting the historic Resolution 2334, which among others, demanded Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. We remain hopeful and urge the relevant parties to ensure the full respect and implementation of this important resolution.
9. Malaysia also firmly upholds its position that a two-State solution, in which the Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, is the only viable solution to the conflict.
Mr. President,
10. The tragic circumstances surrounding the Palestinian people is nothing new. This Chamber had arduously debated on it for decades. We must act now. And it is absolutely necessary to work collectively in reversing any threat to the two-state solution. We must continue to encourage dialogue and demonstrate our faith in diplomacy and multilateralism.
11. We also need to do more to bridge or possibly, close the gap between words and deeds. We need strong political will, and if we were to succeed in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it may offer new openings to forge progress towards a broader and peaceful conflict resolution in other parts of the region.
I thank you, Mr. President.