KUALA LUMPUR: The illegal and inhumane occupation of Palestinian land by Israel must end, and the vicious cycle of violence on Paletinians must stop to pave way for efforts to support the establishment of a free and independent state of Palestine.
This must be in accordance with the two-state solution, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
He said the world can no longer deny the fact that that is the only way to achieve peace and security in the region, and to resolve the question of Palestine, adding that real and decisive actions must be taken to address the issue.
"The current violent outbreak we are witnessing did not happen in a vacuum. The backdrop is over 70 years of illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the inhumane oppression of the Palestinians by the occupying power, that is Israel.
"We must stop the vicious cycle of violence in the region. The international community must not continue paying lip-service to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people," he said when delivering the country's statement at the United Nations' Plenary Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, on Tuesday in New York.
Moving forward, said Zambry, it was important that the voice of the Palestinian people be heard, loud and clear, in charting their own future.
Palestinians must be involved, front and centre, in any discussion on the future governance of their nation, he said.
Zambry added that the wishes of the Palestinians must be at the core of the discussion, the only way to ensure the credibility of the process and its success.
"We must not wait any longer. It is time to deliver to the Palestinians their equal and rightful place among us, the free nations of the world. It is time for a free and independent state of Palestine," he said.
Citing the 2023 report of the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (SCIIP), he said the reports, among others, highlighted that as of August 2023, Israeli forces had already killed more Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories this year, compared to any other year since 2005.
As of September 2023, Israel was holding 1,264 Palestinians in administrative detention, the highest number in over a decade.
Zambry stressed that all violations of international law must be properly investigated and there must not be impunity for those who commit war crimes.
This, he said, was as impunity and double standards in applying international law would only encourage further violations.
The war in Gaza is a litmus test for the international community and this organisation, added Zambry.
War crimes have been clearly and blatantly committed in this war, he said, adding that failure to bring perpetrators of war crimes to justice will only confirm the perception of hypocrisy, selectivity and double standards.
It will further erode trust in the multilateral system, with far reaching implications, including the use of unilateral actions that can lead to more conflicts, suffering and justice, he added.
In welcoming the agreement for a "humanitarian pause" in Gaza reached on Nov 22, Zambry said Malaysia joins the resolute call by the clear majority of UN member states for a full ceasefire.
The four-day humanitarian truce entered into force at 7am Friday in Gaza, and it was extended for two days on Monday.
At least 15,000 civilians were killed, including 6,150 children and over 4,000 women, while more than 36,000 were wounded in the Israeli's relentless attacks on Gaza since Oct 7. — Bernama