Malaysia Urges Palestine Recognition, Full UN Membership
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has called on all nations to urgently recognise the State of Palestine and support its full membership in the United Nations (UN), stressing at a landmark UN meeting on Palestine that such recognition is vital to safeguarding the two-state solution.
Malaysia's Permanent Representative to the UN Datuk Dr Ahmad Faisal Muhamad, speaking at the UN High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine on Wednesday, said Malaysia commended countries that have made the bold decision to recognise the State of Palestine, and urged others that have not to do so urgently.
"The recognition of the State of Palestine is a crucial step to protect the two-state solution,' he said.
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Ahmad Faisal drove home the point that the two-state solution is, and remains, the only internationally recognised solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
'It is totally unacceptable that 78 years since the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 181, only one of the two states has enjoyed independence and full membership to the UN, while the other – the State of Palestine – continues to be denied its independence and full membership of the UN,' he said.
He said that for more than seven decades, Palestinians have been systematically dispossessed of their rights, land, property and dignity through Israel's illegal and brutal occupation.
'It is time to end this historic and gross injustice,' he said.
Ahmad Faisal said a fully sovereign and independent State of Palestine can only be meaningful if its authorities are able to exercise full control over its territories and natural resources, and thrive economically.
He said Malaysia supports a UN-mandated transition plan, with the concurrence of the State of Palestine, in the form of a peacekeeping operation, a stabilisation mission or a protection mission.
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