KUALA LUMPUR – Palestine’s ambassador to Malaysia, Walid Abu Ali, said the “national unity” agreement signed by Hamas and Fatah in Beijing last week is ideal for uniting the Palestinian people.
Hamas and Fatah are the two main Palestinian political parties in the Palestinian territories.
Hamas, Fatah, and 12 other Palestinian factions convened to establish the framework for an interim national reconciliation government that will oversee Gaza in the aftermath of the war.
Walid said that the deal benefits the Palestinian people, as internal conflicts among Palestinians only serve Israel’s interests.
“The 14 Palestinian parties that met in Beijing responded positively to efforts to end the internal conflict and unify the Palestinian people. We believe that no one benefits from this internal strife except Israel.
“Our unity is crucial, especially during this critical time,” he told Bernama TV.
He said that he was at the Chinese Embassy early this morning to commend China for its efforts in hosting a Palestinian reconciliation.
Walid also addressed the recent news that the International Court of Justice has ruled Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as unlawful.
“The International Court of Justice’s latest decision is very important, but the major question is how and when they are going to implement the ruling. How many United Nations resolutions have been passed in favour of Palestine and Palestinians, yet none of them have been implemented?
“The international community is responsible for implementing these resolutions, which can put an end to the suffering of Palestinians and the conflict between Palestine and Israel,” he said.
Walid added that the international community is aware that without recognising Palestinian rights and an independent Palestinian state, Palestinians will never enjoy peace.
He also questioned why the international community has not taken action over Israel’s violence.
“If the international community was able to sanction Russia in the Ukrainian cause, why is the international community unable to take sanctions against Israel, and they have all the evidence of what Israel is doing?” he said.
On Wednesday, Hamas’s top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran, Iran, in what Hamas has described as “a treacherous Zionist raid.”
Ismail, who resides in Qatar, travelled to Iran for the inauguration of the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who has expressed his support for Hamas in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had also denied any US involvement in Haniyeh’s death.
“This is something we were not aware of or involved in,” he said when asked about the killing.
Hamas has vowed the “cowardly” killing of Haniyeh “will not go unanswered.” – August 2, 2024