KUALA LUMPUR, 30 OCT – Malaysia has strongly condemned the recent bill passed by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) which bans the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in West Asia (UNRWA) from operating in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. .
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Wisma Putra today issued a statement condemning this action as a blatant attack on the United Nations (UN) agency and described it as ‘a serious insult to the international community and the honor of an international humanitarian agency.’
“Malaysia reiterates that the Israeli Zionist regime does not have sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, where UNRWA’s presence is recognized through an agreement between Palestine and the UN,” he said.
Wisma Putra said the bill seems to intend to legalize the Israeli Zionist regime’s deliberate and clearly illegal actions to eliminate UNRWA as part of its strategy to drown out the Palestinian refugee issue.
The Foreign Ministry said the action also denied the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland as supported by UN General Assembly Resolution 194, and to starve those who survived the unprecedented humanitarian disaster and genocide in Gaza.
UNRWA remains a vital lifeline for more than 5.9 million Palestinians, providing essential services in education, health care and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees throughout the Middle East.
Malaysia remains steadfast in its support for UNRWA and urges the international community to take decisive and immediate action to protect this agency and end the suffering of the Palestinian people, he said.
Last Monday, international media reported that the Israeli parliament had voted to ban UNRWA operations in the occupied territories for 90 days, ignoring international pressure and the United States to maintain the operation of the largest provider of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
By a vote of 92-10, the Knesset banned the agency operating in Israel under the 1967 Agreement from carrying out “any activity” or providing any service in Israel including the occupied territories of East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank. – Named
