STATEMENT BY
AMBASSADOR DR. AHMAD FAISAL MUHAMAD
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL QUARTERLY OPEN DEBATE
ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION
President,
Malaysia thanks Somalia for convening this meeting, and aligns itself with the statements of the OIC, NAM and CEIRPP.
2. Despite the ceasefire declared in September 2025, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza continues.
3. About 500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire. Many have also died due to the persistent dire humanitarian situation. At least nine children reportedly died due to hypothermia.
4. It is absolutely critical that the Gaza ceasefire be fully implemented. Killings must stop and unhindered humanitarian access must be restored, to ensure the delivery of life-saving assistance at scale.
5.The role of the United Nations (UN) in Palestine, particularly that of UNRWA, which provides essential services to the Palestinians, and is irreplaceable, must be defended and protected.Malaysia strongly condemns Israel’s demolition of UNRWA’s premises in Sheikh Jarrah on 20th January, and the arson attack on those premises on 25th January 2026.
6.The ICJ has unequivocally affirmed the mandate of the UN and its entities to operate in the OPT. Israel is under a clear obligation to respect the privileges, immunities, and inviolability of UN premises, property and its personnel.
7.We are also deeply concerned by the decision of the Israeli Government to cancel the permits of a significant number of international NGOs that have been providing vital humanitarian aid in the OPT.
8.Malaysia condemns the decision by the Israeli Government to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.We are deeply alarmed by the surge in armed settler violence and the forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank. These actions further entrench Israel’s illegal occupation and undermine the prospect for a peaceful and sustainable settlement.
9.Israel’s increasing belligerence is due to the impunity that it continues to enjoy.The Security Council, as the custodian of matters concerning international peace and security, must ensure that international law and the UN Charter are upheld.All relevant UN resolutions must be fully implemented, and decisions as well as advisory opinions of the ICJ must be complied.
10.In this connection, Malaysia recalls General Assembly resolution ES-10/24, which calls for the establishment of an international mechanism for reparations for Israel’s wrongful acts in the OPT. Reparation is a legal obligation under international law and an essential step toward justice, redress and reconciliation.
11.Malaysia underscores the significance of the New York Declaration adopted by the General Assembly in September 2025. It reflects the overwhelming will of the international community and reaffirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the realisation of a sovereign, independent State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Malaysia urges all parties to translate this global consensus into concrete political action.
12.The credibility of this Organisation rests on our collective willingness to uphold justice without selectivity or double standards. Malaysia calls for decisive actions by this Council to ensure accountability and justice, and protect the world’s rules-based order.
Thank you.
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