KUALA LUMPUR – Palestine’s ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali, has called on Malaysia to step up its diplomatic efforts and champion the cause of Palestine by pushing for an international resolution at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the establishment of an international protection force.
Speaking to Scoop, Walid underscored Malaysia’s influence in the international arena, and its potential role in advocating for this critical resolution, which aims to protect the Palestinian people from ongoing violence and human rights abuses at the hands of the Israel Defence Forces.
He said during his meetings with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, he had conveyed a request from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urging the global community to provide Palestine and its people with an international protection force.
To achieve this goal, he suggested that Malaysia sponsor a resolution through the OIC or the UN, leveraging Malaysia’s influential position to make a significant impact.
“I’m 100% sure that (the Malaysian government) can play a role, if you go back a few years ago to when Malaysia sponsored a resolution in the UN together with the other countries, New Zealand, Colombia and Senegal, we succeeded with the four countries… on passing a resolution for the benefit of Palestine,” he said when met at his office yesterday.
“(This is) to stop the Israeli catastrophe against our people, and they promised that they will study that. So Insya-Allah, with the next OIC meeting, Malaysia will bring this resolution in front of leaders of all 57 Muslim countries, or through the Asean group, or (do) something that can be done which will be highly appreciated, and (which) will be a very important resolution that might help Palestinians and (relieve) the suffering of Palestinians.”
Walid noted that one of the key elements of Malaysia’s principled stance on the Palestinian issue is its lack of diplomatic relations with Israel, until it officially recognises an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Walid commended this stance and expressed his hopes for further Malaysian involvement in addressing the dire situation in Palestine.
Walid also highlighted recent calls for international action, including those by the Palestinian president and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the UN general assembly in late September.
Despite these urgent appeals, Walid said the international community has yet to respond effectively to the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
As of the latest update, the conflict in Gaza has resulted in a devastating toll, with at least 2,300 people killed, including 900 children and 250 women, and nearly 10,000 injured.
Approximately half a million Palestinians have been left homeless due to the destruction of their homes and other targeted structures, including schools and mosques, Walid said.
He said even healthcare workers have not been spared, with at least 25 of them killed in the ongoing violence. Walid called for international intervention to address the crisis and expressed frustration at the slow response from both the UN and the OIC.
While an OIC meeting is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, Walid questioned the necessity of waiting for almost two weeks before discussing the Palestinian issue, given the urgency of the situation in Gaza.
He pointed to the historical context of the OIC’s creation, which followed an extremist attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, and called for a more rapid and effective response from international organisations to the dire circumstances faced by Palestinians.
Regardless, Walid underscored the importance of Malaysia’s role in advocating for a peaceful and just resolution to the ongoing conflict and the establishment of an international protection force for Palestine.
“That was my request for the speaker and foreign minister, if they can sponsor a resolution to provide Palestinians with an international protection force to stop the Israeli killing, crime and violation of international law,” he said. – October 17, 2023