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 STATEMENT BY

H.E. AMBASSADOR HUSSEIN HANIFF

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA

TO THE UNITED NATIONS

AT THE EMERGENCY MEETING ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION

AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

 

Mr. President,

 

At the outset, I wish to thank you for convening this crucial open debate in the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

 

2. I also wish to express my delegation’s appreciation to H.E. Ban Ki-moon,

Secretary General of the United Nations, for his earlier briefing. Malaysia associates

itself with the statement made by Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, and with the statement by Guinea on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

 

Mr. President,

 

3. I further wish to thank Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of

the State of Palestine, for his statement earlier this morning. As we have heard, the

situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory remains grim, perpetuated by

disproportionate use of force and aggression by Israel, the occupying Power, with

complete disregard for civilian lives. Malaysia condemns in the strongest terms the

aggressions and the ground invasion launched by the Occupying Power and we

demand an immediate cessation of these illegal acts.

 

4. Since the start of the military air strikes by Israel on 8 July 2014, followed by the

ground invasion, over 600 Palestinians have been killed, and over 3,500 more injured.

Over 80,000 Palestinians have been displaced, stretching the capacity of the United

Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated earlier

that 80 percent of Palestinians killed are civilians.

 

5. This include the brutal killings of four Palestinian boys last week who were doing

what other kids would do – playing by the beach – and who posed no threat whatsoever to Israel. Over the weekend, a six-year old girl was badly injured while eight of her family members were killed by Israeli forces in their own home, four of them children, including a seven month-old baby. We strongly deplore the senseless loss of innocent lives in the conflict, and we take this opportunity to convey our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

 

Mr. President,

 

6. The grotesque disproportion in the Israeli-Palestinian situation rendered Israel’s

claim that its actions were based on self-defence simply fallacious. Israel’s assertions

that the Palestinians were using civilians as human shields were similarly perverse.

Being one of the most densely populated areas in the world, civilians in Gaza will be

affected when faced by a barrage of bombardments and military aggression by Israel.

These are not ‘human shields’, they are simply civilians in their own homes, going about their daily lives. Israeli’s attacks and bombardments of civilians’ homes, hospitals and schools constitute gross violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which amount to war crimes.

 

7. Malaysia urges the international community, especially the Security Council, to

act swiftly and decisively to demand Israel to cease its disproportionate and atrocious

aggression on Palestine. It is imperative that both sides restore calm immediately to

avoid greater destruction and further loss of lives especially among the civilian

population in the Gaza Strip. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the call by the

Security Council for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. We urge all parties to commit

themselves to this end.

 

Mr. President,

 

8. Prime Minister Najib had spoken to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to

convey Malaysia’s commitment to do all that we can in assisting and standing by the

just and legitimate cause of the Palestinian people. Several Malaysian nongovernmental organizations have departed for Gaza as part of a humanitarian mission to deliver food and medical supplies, as well as provide psychosocial support to the victims. Under the Palestine Humanitarian Fund set up by Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2002, the Ministry has renewed its call for financial contribution from the public to help ease the burden of the Palestinians.

 

Mr. President,

 

9. As a member of the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices in the

Occupied Territories, we participated in a fact-finding mission to Amman and Cairo last month. We heard disturbing testimony from a number of witnesses, non-governmental organisations, Palestinian government officials, and UN agencies operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan on human rights and humanitarian violations perpetrated by the occupying Power. It pains us to see that all the warning signs which had been left unheeded, have now manifested into the violence that we see today.

 

10. With complete disregard for the 2004 Advisory Opinion of the International Court

of Justice, the settlement expansion in all Israeli occupied territories had continued at an alarming pace and scale, with new policies and procedures allowing for the confiscation of Palestinian lands and property. My delegation observes that the settler violence has become a natural consequence for these illegal sites, notably the destruction of Palestinian property, agriculture and livestock, with impunity and in the absence of protection by the Occupying Power.

 

11. To those who condoned Israel’s actions in flagrant violation of international law

and international humanitarian law, and allow Israel to escape with impunity for the past six decades, I pose this question to you: Where is your conscience?

 

12. No countries should be allowed to be above the law. For far too long this Council

has remained quiet and paralysed in the face of aggression, expansion and lack of

accountability by the Occupying Power. The silence is deafening. The Security Council should redeem itself and uphold the responsibilities entrusted to it in relation to the failure of Israel to implement the numerous resolutions before it, and take immediate measures to address this great injustice.

 

13. As the Occupying Power, it is the responsibility of Israel to protect the people

under its occupation. Clearly, Israel has failed to do so since the past six decades.

Regrettably, the UN remained paralysed as its key members who are in the position and power to act to rectify the situation, chose self-interest rather than humanity and the rule of law, as it turned a blind eye on Israeli’s aggression.

 

14. This situation simply cannot be allowed to continue perpetually. In this regard,

Malaysia supports the call by the State of Palestine, to place Palestine under the

international protection system of the United Nations. We also reiterate the need to

convene a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to address Israel’s continued non-compliance with the provisions of the instrument.

 

15. To conclude, Israel’s ruthless military attacks on civilians are uncalled for and are

a crime against humanity. Malaysia therefore calls on the United Nations, especially the United Nations Security Council and the international community to take immediate action to halt Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinian people of Gaza and work towards bringing calm and peace between Israel and Palestine.

 

I thank you Mr. President