KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have repeatedly told Bikyamasr.com in the past few weeks that they are pleased with their government's efforts to support and give backing to the Palestinian people. “We are an Islamic country who support all the rights and dignity of people to be free from oppression and I am very happy to see our government making that a reality for the Palestinians,” said university student Islam Abdallah. “It is the right thing to do,” he told Bikyamasr.com. Malaysia reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for the aspirations of the Palestinian people for self-determination and independence. Permanent representative to the United Nations Datuk Hussein Haniff said Malaysia also fully supported Palestine's application to be a full member of the United Nations. “We also wish to welcome the adoption of the resolution that has enhanced the status of Palestine to an observer state at the United Nations. Our congratulations to Palestine,” he said in his statement at the plenary meeting of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. In his statement, a copy of which was sent to Bernama, he touched on Agenda Item 37: Report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinians. Hussein noted that November 29 was an important day for all, and “we are observing the International day of Solidarity with the Palestine People.” “I would like to take this opportunity to pay Malaysia's utmost respect and tribute to the Palestinian people for their courage and strength in continuing to demonstrate steadfastness despite the immense hardship they face on a daily basis,” he said. Furthermore, he called on the international community to continue supporting all the recommendations submitted in the report of the Committee in its work for the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. He said this included their self to self-determination, and negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, resulting in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State and Israelis living side-by side in peace and security based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as capital of Palestine. Hussein also called for Israel to immediately lift the illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and allow the flow of supplies, materials and humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian people. He noted that Israel must accept that a lasting and just solution to the question of Palestine not only benefitted the Palestinians but also would contribute to Israel's own safety and security in the long run. Touching on the situation in the Middle East, Hussein said Malaysia was fully aware of the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan, and will continue to support the restoration of Syrian sovereignty over the occupied region. “We also urge Israel to withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan. All measures and action undertaken by Israel, including the construction and expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan since 1967, constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions,” he added. Hussein said Israel must respect the international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, by ceasing all its illegal settlement activities and restart negotiations in good faith, which demonstrated its intention to actually bring an end to the conflict. “For our part, the international community must reject any further delay in the resumption of Peace Talks. We must ensure that the parties return to the negotiation table without further delay. “We must continue to uphold the principles for the establishment of a Palestinian State under the two-State solution. Only then can Israel and Palestine have any chance for a stable and a better future,” he said.
