Speeches, Statements & International Documents

 

 

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY

 

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA

 

DATO’ SERI UTAMA HAJI MOHAMAD BIN HAJI HASAN

 

AT THE OPEN FORUM ON THE ISSUES OF PALESTINE:

CAMPAIGNING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

– WHAT IS MALAYSIA’S ROLE?

 

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA, 19 MARCH 2024

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Mr Ragunath Kesavan,

Vice Chairman of SUHAKAM,

 

Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Noor Azuan Abu Osman, Vice-Chancellor of University Malaya,

 

SUHAKAM Commissioners, Distinguished Panellists,

 

Excellencies,

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

1. It is always a pleasure to return to the University of Malaya, the cradle of higher education and progress of our nation. This university has long been a place for nurturing minds, ideas, and causes.

 

2. I myself gained an education in international relations – and in life – here on this very campus. That was almost fifty years ago. And yet, I can easily picture myself, seated among the students in this lecture hall. I would like to thank them – and all of you – for being here today.

 

3. I would like to express my appreciation to Ragunath Kesavan, and his team at SUHAKAM, for organising this forum.

 

4. As many of you know, this Government has a policy framework called Malaysia Madani. One of the key hallmarks of being a modern and civilised society – a Madani society – is placing the dignity of the people at the summit of its priorities.

 

5. This Government strongly supports SUHAKAM, and its vital role in upholding human rights – for citizens and non-citizens alike, in Malaysia and abroad.

 

6. The unfolding catastrophe in Gaza, has sharpened our focus, on how countries like ours can respond, appropriately and constructively. Accordingly, I would like to share some of my observations, outline several of our immediate steps, and state the three broad pillars, of our long-term diplomatic and legal campaign.

 

7. Make no mistake. This is not going to end any time soon. At varying levels, the atrocities will continue for many months and years to come.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

8. To address an issue as complex as this, we need to start by framing it, as realistically as we can. This was the approach I took in the corporate world. It continues to be the way I look at issues today. The way you frame an issue, ultimately shapes your response.

 

9. For starters, we need to recognise that what we are witnessing today in Gaza, did not begin in October of last year. Indeed, this is a tragedy that has lasted for almost 80 years. This simple yet vital truth, is something that the Prime Minister has tirelessly mentioned, again and again. It is also what I have repeatedly emphasised, in my diplomatic engagements.

 

10. There is no denying, that the creation of Israel in 1948, represented a violent shift in the political, territorial, and demographic landscape in Palestine. This was a critical turning point. This was the start, of an unmitigated catastrophe for the Palestinian people. It was at that moment – not in the recent past – that the groundwork for a prolonged struggle was established.

 

11. It is in the interest of the Israelis, to foster a collective amnesia about the 1948 Nakba, and the illegal occupation that followed the 1967 war. By focusing solely on October 7, the Israelis clearly hope to keep extending their window of impunity. By making this all about Hamas and the hostages, they plainly wish to sidestep, the need for a sustainable and equitable solution.

 

12. It is, therefore, essential that we continue to remind everyone, including some of our friends, that this has gone on for long enough. We need to be persistent. We need to keep telling them, that ending the decades-long occupation, is essential for achieving a lasting and viable peace.

 

13. At the same time, we need to remind ourselves – and by that, I mean Malaysians – about another essential truth, about the question of Palestine. We need to understand that the Palestinian struggle, is fundamentally about the rights, and the freedom of a people. It is not a religious conflict.

 

14. Nevertheless, we should not ignore how religion has been pivotal, in galvanising support for the Palestinian cause. For decades, Muslim countries, organisations, and communities around the world, have been the anchor of global solidarity for the Palestinians.

 

15. They have consistently gone the extra mile, in spreading awareness and raising critically needed support, for the Palestinian people. This is especially clear during Ramadan, a month that fosters unparalleled unity, among Muslims worldwide.

 

16. But it is worth recalling, that the Palestinians are a people of multiple faiths. While the overwhelming majority of them are Muslims, there is also a significant minority of Christians. Prominent among them is Hanan Ashrawi, a stateswoman and former negotiator. Another notable personality is Vera Baboun, a diplomat who was the first female mayor of Bethlehem. There was, of course, the late Edward Said, an intellectual who powerfully articulated the Palestinian condition to the wider world. Palestinian minorities are also victims of the Israeli atrocities. It is also their churches, that have been targeted by Israel’s bombardment. It is also their mothers and children, who are dying alongside their Muslim brothers and sisters.

 

17. Indeed, we should recognise that solidarity for the Palestinians extends well beyond the Muslim ummah. This is certainly clear here in Malaysia, where sympathy transcends race, language, and religion. Indeed, that support is manifested in this very room. Similarly, there is a growing surge of solidarity for the Palestinians in the West and across the world, especially the young.

 

18. It is, therefore, vital that we avoid framing this conflict in religious terms. True global support can only be sustained, if we persist in affirming our shared wish, for dignity and freedom for all Palestinians of all faiths.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

19. While we recognise that this conflict has deep historical roots, we have not ignored our obligation, to respond swiftly to the ongoing crisis.

 

20. You will recall the Prime Minister’s powerful speech, at the 8th Extraordinary Summit of the OIC in Riyadh, in November last year. That was just the beginning. Since then, the Prime Minister and I have used every opportunity, to highlight the need for the international community, to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. Whether in multilateral forums or bilateral meetings, we have made it a point to advocate for peace in Palestine.

 

21. Indeed, my Wisma Putra officials and I are using, all available diplomatic avenues, to pressure the global community, to act in the name of humanity. We are working closely with like-minded countries, at the United Nations, in pursuit of three key priorities.

 

22. First, to institute an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Second, to establish safe and unhindered access, for the delivery of aid. And third, to ensure accountability, for violations of international law.

 

23. The Government, therefore, made the decision to participate, in the hearings in late February, to call for the International Court of Justice, to issue an advisory opinion, on the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

 

24. In Malaysia’s submission to the ICJ, I underscored the severe legal implications, of Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

 

25. We made a forceful case, that urgent protection is required for Palestinian rights, against the backdrop of Israel’s international defiance. We advocated for an end, to the prolonged suffering caused by Israel's unlawful policies. We demanded an immediate halt to the occupation.

 

26. In tandem with our diplomatic and legal efforts, we are doing our part, to deliver aid to the people of Gaza. On behalf of Malaysians, this Government has so far sent about a hundred tonnes, of humanitarian assistance, via Egypt. My Deputy at the Foreign Ministry, Datuk Mohamad Alamin, visited the Rafah- Gaza border in February this year, to see through the delivery, of emergency and humanitarian relief supplies, from Malaysia to Gaza. We will continue to seek opportunities, to channel the generosity of Malaysians. In short, we will always be there for the people of Palestine.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

27. I have just outlined, a handful of the many initiatives we have taken, in response to the crisis in Gaza. But we must be prepared to do this in the long run.

 

28. So, moving forward, what should be the guiding principles, for our diplomatic and legal efforts? I would group them under three broad pillars:

 

• First, addressing root causes;
• Second, upholding international law; and
• Third, ending impunity.

 

Let me talk about these in turn.

 

29. First, the root causes of the crisis in Palestine, must be addressed. We have made this point repeatedly and will continue to do so. The events that led, to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, did not occur in a vacuum. The Palestinians have been subjected to years, of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land, devoured by settlements, and their homes demolished. Any semblance of a future without conflict, seems to be diminishing. All this needs to be stopped.

 

30. Second, the global community must be made to recognise, that Israel’s policies and practices, are in blatant violation of international law. On this score, we must be relentless. We must work with like-minded countries, to use all relevant platforms, whether it is the Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court or the ICJ, to address Israel’s flagrant breaches of the rules.

 

31. International criminality, can never be excused. The erosion of the power, and credibility of international law, could lead to severe repercussions, for nations such as Malaysia. Ultimately, our security is tied to the sanctity of international law. It is, therefore, in Malaysia’s vital national interest, to uphold the international legal order.

 

32. Third and finally, we need to end impunity in international affairs. This includes reviewing the veto privilege, in the United Nations Security Council. The veto has prevented the Security Council, from adopting resolutions, for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Malaysia has consistently called, for the elimination of the veto, to uphold the UN Charter's principle, of equal sovereignty among all states. We have consistently argued, against the veto's ability to counter the majority's will.

 

33. Until the time when the veto can be abolished entirely, we believe that the use of the veto, by permanent Security Council members, should be regulated, preventing it from being used unjustifiably or abused. Indeed, the application of veto should be prohibited, in situations involving mass atrocities, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. We understand that this is not likely to happen overnight. But we believe a sustained campaign, can raise the reputational cost, of using the veto in such circumstances.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

34. In closing, we must muster our strength and resilience, in championing the cause of the Palestinians. The road ahead might be long and challenging, but one thing is for sure: we will never give up.

 

35. We must be strategic and structured in our approach. Through discourse and advocacy programmes, we hope to have more governments, joining us on the side of humanity.

 

36. To holistically address the Palestinian cause, we hope that SUHAKAM and other partners, will expand and diversify, their outreach and engagements. Wisma Putra stands ready to collaborate, and to contribute to this endeavour.

 

37. Malaysia will not relent until Palestinians are able, to exercise their inalienable rights, without fear or intimidation, enjoy fundamental freedom, and live peacefully with dignity. We will not stop, until Palestine assumes her rightful seat, as a full-fledged Member State of the United Nations. And I believe, that future generations of Malaysians, can one day look back with pride, that we were on the right side of history.

 

Thank you.

 

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