NATIONAL STATEMENT

 

BY THE

HONOURABLE DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

 

AT THE

8th EXTRAORDINARY ISLAMIC SUMMIT

  

11 NOVEMBER 2023 (SATURDAY)

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

 

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,

 

Your Majesties, Excellencies,

May the blessings and peace of Allah SWT be upon you.

 

1. There are moments in history that shake us to our core and challenge our collective Moments that compel us to ask if our humanity still flickers; if we have the courage and wisdom to act. Such a moment has come with the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Palestine. Such a moment is now.

2. I therefore applaud the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convene this Extraordinary Islamic Summit. The leadership of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud along with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been pivotal in this effort.

3. For it is time for us to move beyond just fuming in our outrage. For over a month, the besieged people of Gaza have been subjected to the barbaric cruelties of the Israeli forces, targeting men, women and children alike.

4. Homes shattered, dreams tattered, Gaza has become a place where hunger goes unfed, the ailing untreated, and a pervasive terror haunts the day and night. Neither homes, hospitals, nor religious sanctuaries, Muslim or Christian, are safe from Israel’s indiscriminate attacks.

5. These atrocities in Gaza must not be allowed to go on. Nor should the violence by heavily armed Israeli settlers towards Palestinians in the West Bank. This continuation of the politics of dispossession of the Palestinians is not taking place in the dead of the night; it is being perpetrated in full view of the world in a flagrant breach of international law.

6. The brutal actions of the Zionist regime have defied even our bleakest fears. But Israel’s crimes have not unfolded in isolation; they have been enabled, tacitly or otherwise, by the complicity of Their support – diplomatic, military, economic – has given Israel a gaping window of impunity in their campaign of mass murder and destruction, a realisation of the wildest dreams of Israel’s religious extremists.
7. The political class of these nations may exhibit a selective myopia toward the turmoil in Palestine, yet the collective conscience of their people is A sea change in awareness has taken root, as shown in mass demonstrations of unprecedented proportion in support of Palestine.

8. Ironically, in these capitals that herald free speech as a sacrosanct right, some authorities have denounced proponents of the Palestinian cause, maligning them as purveyors of hate speech and supporters of terrorism. This is perverse double standards writ large.

9. At the same time, these very same authorities seem to be utterly indifferent to the escalating tide of Islamophobia. Let us be clear: what’s happening today in Palestine will affect us The implications of this strife are significant and long-lasting. It is poised to affect not just Palestine or the broader Middle East, but also leave an imprint on global relations for many years to come.

10. In this pivotal moment, the collective voice of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s member states is crucial. We stand stronger when we champion a shared purpose.
11. Our collective might is fortified by our numbers and diversity: 57 nations, each with unique strengths, strategic relationships, and memberships in various regional and international Imagine the transformative impact if even just half of us align our diplomatic efforts, echoing a unified script.

12. With due humility, I call upon each member state of the OIC to strategically employ their diplomatic channels and networks. In every dialogue and on every stage – be it bilateral or multilateral, regional or international – let us consistently and assertively call for the following seven points in a concerted diplomatic campaign:

• First, institute an immediate ceasefire and expedite humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

• Second, halt all Israeli settlement activity and settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

• Third, immediately cease the forced displacement of civilians.

• Fourth, withdraw all forms of military support to Israel, linking any future aid to tangible progress towards a Two-State Solution.

• Fifth, investigate and prosecute all breaches of international law, including war crimes, through international judicial institutions.

• Sixth, support the Arab Peace Initiative and facilitate negotiations with reputable mediators to advance the Two-State Solution; and

• Seventh, combat the global rise in Islamophobia while safeguarding the right to peaceful expressions of support for the Palestinian

13. It is imperative that we unite our voices in chorus so that our message stands a much greater chance of resonating and being heard.

14. In closing, allow me to reaffirm Malaysia’s ironclad commitment to the Palestinian cause. The moment to make a difference is upon us, and Malaysia stands poised to take decisive action.

15. Additionally, I feel compelled to reinforce my own unshakable commitment to the Palestinian people, cemented many years ago at the 1983 PLO conference in That conference left an indelible mark on me, as the late Yasser Arafat embraced me like a son.

16. And so, to the Palestinian people, let me say: We hear you, we see your pain, and help is coming.

Thank you.

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