Peruaneat Dfisslon of Dfarafera to the Unltcd Nadons (Pleasecheckagainst deliuerg) Statement by H.E. Ambassador Hamidon Ali, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations, at the Special Meeting of the Cornmittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to Mark FortyYears of Occupation by Israel of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, NewYork, 7 June 2oo7 Mr. Chairman, Let me first of all expressmy delegation's deepestappreciationto you for conveningthis very important and momentousmeetingto mark forty yearsof occupationby Israel of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. Very important becausethis issue continuesto remain the main preoccupationof the internationalcommunity, which not only affectsthe Middle East but also to the whole world at large.It is a very important issue becauseunless it is resolved,it will continue to shape and mould the minds, attitude and perceptionof our future generations. is a very important issue because simply implies It it that the international community thus far seems to be apathetic towards all the inhumanity, injustice, atrocities,oppression, tyranny and belligerence ofone Stateonto the lives ofthe Palestinian people. 2. Momentous because it marks forry years of the paralysis and failure of the international community, especially the major powers,to end this occupation. Forty years ago, Palestiniancities and towns were assaulted.The loss of lives was staggering.The lives of those who survived were uprooted, condemnedto live in squalid conditionsunder the Occupationor as refugees makeshiftcampsabroad. in Forly years on, things have not changed despite the many UN resolutions including Security Council resolutions in particular 242, gg8, 425, to cite but just a few. Israel, the occupying power, continues to disregard International Law, Conventions and UN resolutions, and ignoring calls by the international community to stop their atrocities towards the Palestinians.They continue to use violence on the Palestinian civilian population. They destroyed civilian infrastructure and strangulate the economic livelihoods of the Palestinians. Israeli military action to arrest or kill Palestinianscontinuesunabated. Palestinians, including their electedofficials,are being rounded up and imprisoned and their numbers in incarceration now total in the thousands. Israel continues to construct the illegal separation Wall on the Occupied Palestinian Territory despite the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and international condemnation. At the same time, Israeli illegal settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to be supported and encouraged by the Israeli Government, in total disregardof Internationallaw and norms, and of obligationsas the occupyingpower. Mr. Chairman, The effect of the Occupationon the hearts and minds on the next generation of Palestiniansis not 3. hard to imagine. Forty years of being imprisoned in bantustan-like cantons, forty years of being systematically abused, forty years of being let down by the inability of the international community to resolve the question of Palestine,what hopes would the Palestinian people have of their future and for their dreams? My delegation would find it inconceivableand indeed shameful to have to explain to the future 4. generationor even to the present young generation why after forty years when the rest of the world could enjoy freedom of their country, in this so called modern world where occupation of a country is something 34 East 47td Street arnaun Fax: (ztz) 49o 8576 .gou.ma NeutYork, NY tootT Website: us w .un.int/ malag sia u Mr. Chairman, It is not for lack of attempts,initiatives or effortsto find a just and comprehensive solution to this 5. issue. Unfortunately,there seemsto be a lack of political commitmentand will, particularly by the major powers in pushing the occupyingpower to return to the peaceprocess. There also seemsto be a lack of political will to push the occupying power to concedeand abide to the many UN resolutionsincluding Security Council resolutions to end this occupation. The feeling that the peaceprocesshas not been handled in a balancedway and Israel is allowedto ignorethe UN resolutionswithout actionsbeing taken againstit, givesthe impressionthat the internationalcommunitylacksseriouscommitment to resolvethe conflict. It is therefore imperative that Israel be made to respectall UN resolutions and return to the peaceprocess,in order to achievecomprehensive and lasting solution to this Occupationand to achieve peacein the Middle East. The Quartet processincluding the Arab LeagueInitiative provides a realistic opportunity for a 6. just and comprehensive solution. Israel must return to the peaceprocessand the implementationof the Roadmapto a PermanentTwo-StateSolution as outlined in United Nations Quartet Performance-Based Security Council Resolution t5r5. Israel and its allies must understandthat lasting peacecould not be achievedin the region and beyond, without resolvingthe Palestinianquestionincluding the Occupation. They must also comprehendthat peacecould only be achieved through dialogueand not through military means.All partiesmust havethe resolveand political will to givejustice to the Palestinian peopleand help to get rid the senseof helplessness, frustrationsand disillusionmentamongthem. In the immediate term too, the economic,socialand humanitarian conditions afflicting, and are 7. degradingto Palestiniansin the OccupiedTerritories need to be addressed. Israel must ceasestrangling the economic lifeline of the Palestinians, by releasing the funds rightfully owed to the Palestinian Authorities. Israel must ceasemilitary attacks and other human rights violations on the Palestinians. Israel must releaseall Palestinian prisoners unlawfully imprisoned and arbitrarily detained, including all Palestinianofficials. The international community must see to it that Israel honors its obligation to International Law and conventionsand in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention. B. The United Nations including the SecurityCouncilmust resumeits responsibilityto compel Israel to respect international law and put an end to Israel's occupation and illegitimate practices in the OccupiedPalestinian Territories. Israel must complete its withdrawal from Gazaand the West Bank to the pre-t967borders. Mr. Chairman, So long as the occupation by Israel on Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem is not 9. resolved, in a just, equitable and comprehensive manner, it will remain a stumbling block for the achievement for peace and stability in the Middle East. It will continue to remain the single most important reason for and catalyst towards feeding conflict, strife and terrorism not only in that region but alsothe world at large. 10. More importantly, the rights of the Palestinianpeopleto their homeland must be implemented. Palestinian statehood remains the apex of the aspirations for the Palestinian people. The international community has the obligation to seeto it that their aspirations are fulfilled. 11. Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to support Palestinetowards the establishment of a sovereign and independentPalestinianState. Thank you.