Malaysia will continue with Palestine agenda

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will continue with its agenda to ensure that Palestine is officially recognised as an independent state through international diplomatic efforts, said Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar.

He said the efforts in that direction need to be enhanced especially now looking at the new narrative, where more nations have been voicing their concern over Israeli atrocities on Palestinians.

"In Latin America, Europe or even in the United States, there have been protests not only by Muslims. Even the Democrat party members in the United States have openly opposed President Joe Biden's stand, who is seen as giving in to Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel's prime minister) and oblivious to the human rights violations.

"The present situation is conducive to capitalise on the new narrative in achieving our goal," he said during the Bicara Naratif programme titled "Malaysian Solidarity for Palestine" through national broadcaster RTM on Wednesday night.

According to Kamarudin, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will voice their united stand once again during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting expected on Thursday (today) to end the long standing Palestine-Israel conflict.

On Sunday, Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah issued a joint statement calling on the international community to remain resolute in their stand for the "two state solution", based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem, as the capital.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia Herizal Hazri noted that the provocation caused by Israel by evicting Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah and the attacks on worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque is a ploy by Netanyahu.

The move is to draw support from Israelis after failing to secure a convincing win in the election and and in establishing a cabinet, added with allegations of corruption within his right-wing Likud party.

The Hamas have been provoked to react, leading to a bigger conflict.

"Netanyahu failed to garner the support of his people in Israel. By intimidating the Israelis with Hamas attack, he hopes to see Israelis backing him as their saviour," he said.

-- BERNAMA