The United States’ announcement of a new vision for ending the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, touted as the “Deal of the Century”,
is a “mockery”, the Prime Minister of Malaysia told an
international conference in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Speaking at the International Conference
on the Question of Palestine, Mahathir Mohamad
also slammed “the ultimate
dishonest brokerage” of the unilateral proposal, saying that his
country “finds the plan utterly unacceptable and grossly unjust”.
Under the theme “South-East Asian Support for the Rights of the
Palestinian People”, the two-day Conference – which brought
together over 300 Government and civil society
representatives – was organized by the UN Committee on the
Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in
partnership with the Government of Malaysia and the Perdana
Global Peace Foundation.
Prime Minister Mahathir went on to urge member States of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to continue their
cooperation not only in political and economic affairs, but also
in the pursuit of justice and peace for the Palestinian
people.
“Our collective voice regionally should…extend a united front in
supporting the rights of the Palestinians,” the Prime Minister
said, calling that “the primary purpose of this peace
conference.”
Committee Chair Cheikh Niang also underscored the region’s strong
commitment to the Palestinian cause.
“The peoples of this region have a long-standing, principled
support for the quest of the Palestinian people to be free from
oppression and occupation”, he said, explaining that they, like
the people of many developing countries, endured hard struggles
to free themselves and gain independence and sovereignty.
He pointed out that almost all ASEAN countries have recognized
the State of Palestine and called for more active engagement in
establishing a multilateral mechanism for negotiations between
Israel and Palestine.
Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator who
represented Secretary-General António
Guterres, said that the deteriorating situation on the ground
further erodes the possibility of a viable and contiguous
Palestine based on the two-State formula.
He underscored the UN position that if the annexation of
territory in the occupied West Bank were implemented, it would
not only be illegal under international law, but also close the
door to negotiations.
Moreover, it would have negative repercussions across the region
and severely undermine opportunities for peace.
Meanwhile, Palestine’s UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour emphasized
that Palestinians do not need a new plan, but a mechanism to
implement existing agreements and UN resolutions.
To defeat the US vision, Palestinians must first “must put our
house in order,” and overcome internal divisions, namely between
Hamas and the Palestinian National Authority, he stressed,
calling for national unity and elections across the Occupied
Palestinian Territory.
In the ensuing panel discussion, experts presented their
perspectives on the US plan and reported on the current realities
of Palestinian life under occupation, including the consequent
political and socioeconomic challenges.
