PUTRAJAYA – The Malaysian Bar has affirmed its support for the Palestinians and their struggle in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, labeling it as a genocide.
During her address at the Opening of Legal Year 2024 ceremony, Bar Council president Karen Cheah said that the Palestinian Bar had recently sought the council’s support.
“The Malaysian Bar wishes to hereby declare that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters at law in Palestine, in condemning the atrocities of genocide and war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.
“We also wholly support the legal proceedings commenced by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” she said.
“We stand ready to render all assistance at the ICJ proceedings, by way of intervention if necessary, so that no country can use genocide as a defence and as an excuse to commit war crimes.”
Cheah also said that the current Gaza conflict underscores the urgent need for Malaysia to reconsider becoming a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Rome Statute, addressing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression, serves as a crucial instrument globally to combat impunity and hold perpetrators of severe war crimes accountable at the ICC.
“This reminder relates to my point on the importance of the consultation process as we may recall in 2019, Malaysia had signed the Rome Statute but made a U-turn when, with all due respect, misguided concerns were raised that Malaysia’s accession would jeopardise the position of our Malay rulers,” she said.
“A misunderstanding that could have been avoided with two-way communication, by way of proper consultation.”
The ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict has exceeded the 100-day mark since October 7 last year, resulting in 23,968 casualties in Gaza alone, predominantly women and children.
The military campaign has also led to widespread displacement, destruction and hunger.
In December, South Africa took Israel to the ICJ, accusing Israeli authorities of perpetrating genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
South Africa requested provisional measures from the court to safeguard Palestinians, including an immediate cessation of Israeli military attacks.
During the hearing on January 11, South Africa outlined a list of genocidal acts by Israel, while Israel presented its defence from January 12 to today. – January 15, 2024