Malaysia taking cautious approach to New York Declaration on Palestine

The Star

3 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is adopting a cautious approach before endorsing the New York Declaration on Palestine, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ( pic ).
He said that this is due to some preconditions appearing inconsistent with the country's foreign policy.
Speaking during ministerial replies in the Dewan Rakyat, the Foreign Minister stated that while Malaysia agrees with the overarching goal of the declaration—establishing an independent Palestinian state—some clauses are not aligned with the country's foreign policy principles.
'We agree with the objective, which is to realise a free and sovereign Palestinian state. But we are not entirely comfortable with the preconditions laid out in the New York Declaration.
'There are aspects we feel are not in line with Malaysia's foreign policy. So, we are being careful,' he told the Lower House on Thursday (August 7).
The declaration was adopted on July 30 during a high-level international conference in New York, aiming to revive the two-state solution and push for lasting peace between Palestine and Israel.
Among other points, the declaration calls for Hamas to disarm and hand over Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA), envisions a demilitarised Palestinian state under PA rule, and urges Israel to commit to a two-state solution, end occupation, and restore Palestinian institutional control.
Mohamad emphasised that Malaysia's support for the Palestinian cause is unwavering and principled, not aligned to any specific political faction within Palestine.
'We support the rights of the Palestinian people—not any specific group—to establish their own state, govern themselves, and determine their own leadership,' he said, reaffirming Malaysia's long-standing position for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.
He said Malaysia has consistently rejected Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, describing the actions of the Zionist regime as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
'They claim to be acting in self-defence. But how is the mass killing of women and children an act of defence? If it's about defending a nation, how many more must die to satisfy that narrative,' he asked.
Mohamad also criticised the United Nations Security Council, condemning the use of veto powers to block resolutions that condemn Israeli violence.
'Malaysia has formally called for reforms at the Security Council. We want the veto power of permanent members to be limited, especially in cases involving genocide, war crimes, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.'
The Foreign Minister said Malaysia is working with like-minded nations to push for structural changes at the UN, including broadening permanent representation to include members from Asia, Africa, and South America.
He also announced that Malaysia is leading a new diplomatic coalition called The Hague Group, aimed at intensifying pressure for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring humanitarian access.
'Malaysia is at the core of this group. We are calling for an end to the forced displacement of 2.5 million Palestinians and the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors,' Mohamad said.
He condemned the prolonged blockade on Gaza, noting that no aid trucks had entered through Jordan or Egypt in the past four and a half months, leading to widespread hunger and starvation.
'Israel is using food as a weapon of war. People are dying of starvation. Even when Gazans go to collect aid, they are shot at. We strongly condemn this cruelty,' he said.