KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Malaysia strongly condemns Israel’s latest announcement of a US$2.3 billion settlement expansion plan in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, calling the plan a deliberate attempt to entrench the Zionist regime’s illegal occupation and undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
The Foreign Ministry said the plan represents a blatant violation of international law and a direct assault on the prospects for a just and lasting peace.
“Such actions demonstrate Israel’s continued disregard for its obligations under international law, including relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
“The continued seizure of Palestinian land and expansion of settlements will only perpetuate injustice, instability and further escalation in the region. The Palestinian people have endured decades of occupation, dispossession and systematic violations of their fundamental rights,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
Malaysia said the regime’s continued settlement expansion cannot be justified under any pretext whatsoever.
“Instead, it clearly reflects a calculated effort to deny the Palestinian people their legitimate and inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination and to an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on their own Territory of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem,” it said.
Malaysia called upon the international community and the United Nations to unequivocally reject and challenge the expansion plans, and reiterated its longstanding support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. — Bernama
