KUALA LUMPUR: In an address at the 10th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Malaysia condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza and the West Bank, calling for decisive international intervention to address the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
Malaysia’s Permanent Representative Datuk Dr Ahmad Faisal Muhamad opened his address to the UN by outlining the devastating toll of Israel’s assault on Gaza.
He noted that 431 days have passed since the onslaught started, resulting in over 44,000 deaths, predominantly women and children.
“More than 105,000, have been injured, and 2024 has been the deadliest on record for humanitarian workers with 178 killed in the occupied Palestinian territory alone.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza has long been described as apocalyptic. Still, humanitarian aid continues to be obstructed,” he said in his address at the assembly.
Ahmad Faisal said that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported 53 attempts by the United Nations (UN) to reach besieged areas in North Gaza in November, only to be denied 48 times and severely impeded on five occasions.
“The situation has become unimaginably horrific,“ he said, depicting Gaza as a ‘barren wasteland’ with 60 per cent of buildings destroyed or damaged and critical infrastructure decimated.
He warned of long-term environmental and serious health risks due to the bombings.
Meanwhile, turning to the West Bank, Ahmad Faisal highlighted the alarming increase in violence and harassment by Israeli settlers, the spread of illegal settlements, and the demolition of Palestinian homes.
“Alarmingly some Israeli high-ranking officials have openly advocated for annexation”, he said, condemning Israel’s intensified security operations, which include airstrikes and arbitrary detentions of Palestinian civilians.
Ahmad Faisal also criticised Israel’s attacks on UN agencies, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which he described as the backbone of humanitarian support for Palestinian refugees.
He called out the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, for failing to act decisively against Israel’s violations of international law despite the clear evidence of egregious violations of international law.
“The council’s inability to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire because of the use of the veto and bolder Israel to be even more ferocious due to the impunity it continues to enjoy”, he said.
He urged member states to support two critical resolutions aimed at ending the violence and ensuring the continuation of humanitarian aid.
“Malaysia unequivocally condemns Israel’s aggression in the occupied Palestinian territory and its offensive in the wider region,“ he declared, calling for an immediate halt to arms and financial support to Israel, stressing the importance of stopping the massacre of innocent civilians.
He also advocated for the Security Council to adopt a Chapter VII resolution against Israel for its actions, suggesting that member states should reconsider Israel’s place in the General Assembly.
Ahmad Faisal concluded by reaffirming Malaysia’s commitment to Palestinian statehood and welcomed the upcoming international conference on the question of Palestine as an opportunity to advance the implementation of UN resolutions towards Palestinian self-determination.
“The only way to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the region is by ending Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and realising a free and independent state of Palestine according to pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,“ he added.
