Malaysia wants accountability and humanitarian support for Palestinians

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia wants the Human Rights Council (HRC) to establish a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to ensure accountability and humanitarian support for the Palestinians.

Malaysia's Statement at the 30th Special Session of the HRC also emphasised that the Occupying Power has to extend its full cooperation to ensure that the COI could perform its mandate effectively.

"We believe that only with accountability, justice and remedy can the Palestinians enjoy the human rights that they rightly deserve," said a statement issued by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) here, on Friday.

Malaysia's Statement was presented by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar on Thursday during the HRC session in Geneva, Switzerland that deliberated on the grave human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

Together with many other members of the OIC and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Malaysia supported the HRC Resolution that among others called for the establishment of a COI, the statement said.

Malaysia also joined the international community in condemning Israel's continuous illegal occupation of Palestinian land, blatant violations of human rights and humanitarian laws and also stressed that Israel's inhumane, colonial and apartheid policies has to end for the Palestinians to have a dignified future.

Malaysia also wanted the HRC to react promptly and resolutely to address the root causes of the Palestinian crisis.

The Special Session, which was held at the request of members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), received resounding support of 69 States, the statement added.

Malaysia has always been a strong proponent of the Palestinian cause and remains steadfast in voicing its support for the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinians, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

According to Anadolu Agency's report quoting official Palestinian figures, death death toll from Israel's offensive on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank now stands at 288, including 69 children and 40 women, with more than 8,900 others injured.

-- BERNAMA