KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s position is the same as Turkey's when it comes to championing the plight of the Palestinian people and liberation of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Turkey-Palestine Interparliamentary Friendship Group president Hasan Turan, in saying this, described Malaysians as people with a firm believe and sound judgment on their stand on Palestine and its people.
“Our president (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) and the people of Turkey have always supported the legitimate struggle of Palestinians and we stood by them. We appreciate that Malaysia and its people share the same understanding in relation to the struggle (involving the Al-Quds and Palestine).
“Malaysia is the heart of Asia and that it has never abandon Al-Quds, which is heart of the Muslim ummah. We believe that the heart of Malaysians and Malaysia will be together with the heart of Palestinians and Palestine.
“Insyallah (God willing), together, Malaysia and Turkey will help to end the occupation of Israel and the injustice that is going on in the Palestinian land,” he said after the opening ceremony of the Third Conference of The League of Parliamentarians For Al-Quds (#LP4Q) here today.
This is the first time the conference was held outside Turkey since the formation of the LP4Q which until 2018 has membership of 700 members of Parliament from 70 countries.
The first two conferences were previously held in Istanbul and officiated by Erdogan in 2016 and 2018.
Turan, who is also the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TNGA) administrative chief, is leading a nine-person delegation from Turkey comprising members of parliament from both side of the political divide, at the two-day conference.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad officiated this year’s conference.
Turan said the liberation of Al-Quds depends on the solidarity and common understanding among Muslim nations.
“What we are witnessing today is that the oppression (against Palestine and Al-Quds) not only stems from Israel but also from our fragmentation.
“Without the Al-Quds being liberated, the Middle East cannot be liberated. And without a peace in Al-Quds, you cannot have peace in the Middle East.”
On his hope on the conference, Turan said he was looking forward to a solid, tangible, concrete and actionable resolutions that would move other countries to act and defend Palestine.
“And we want this resolution to be implemented as soon as possible.
"By the end of this conference, we hope to have a resolution that will put (Israel Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and leaders (aligned to him) to shame which will see them unable to face the international community,” he said.
Turkish opposition lawmaker, Alpay Antmen, said the plight of the Palestinians transcends political affiliations.
“Whatever our political background might be, as Turkish people, we are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“I am here to support their struggle. Palestine is the ‘red-line’ for all the Turkish people and political parties. The problems in the Middle East cannot be resolved until Al-Quds is the legitimate capital of Palestine.
“We hope that this conference, under the auspices and with the hospitality of Malaysia, will result in the efforts within parameters of international law and under the roof of the United Nations.” said Antmen, who is among the members of the Turkish entourage led by Turan.