Humanitarian pause must be the beginning for a lasting peace process in Gaza

The Star

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir stated that the humanitarian pause in Gaza should not be considered a definitive resolution to the protracted conflict in Gaza.  Rather, the pause must mark the beginning of a lasting peace process and permanent ceasefire, said Zambry, when he delivered the national statement at the UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate in New York on Wednesday (Nov 29).  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00 I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Zambrie, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.

00:06 Mr. President, Malaysia recalls its appreciation to China as President of the Security Council

00:13 for convening this important debate.

00:16 I'm here bringing with me the message from peace-loving Malaysians under the leadership

00:23 of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who have been deeply concerned and enormously distressed

00:31 by the October 7 attack against civilians and the following vengeful and brutal slaughter

00:37 of innocent lives in Gaza.

00:41 The heart-wrenching images of children killed, maimed and shell-shocked in the aftermath

00:48 of Israeli indiscriminate shelling of their homes, schools and hospitals have shaken our

00:56 human sensibilities to the core.

00:59 Mr. President, Malaysia welcomes the adoption of Resolution 2712 of the Security Council.

01:08 We commend Member States for the wisdom to reach a compromise.

01:13 The resolution was a breakthrough, outlining the urgently needed temporary measures to

01:20 address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

01:24 All parties must respect and implement the resolution in full.

01:30 We therefore welcome the humanitarian pause which began on 21st November that had been

01:38 extended.

01:40 But we must note that this is not the solution.

01:46 This must be the beginning for a lasting peace process and a permanent ceasefire.

01:52 We regret that it took about seven weeks before the humanitarian pause was agreed.

01:58 It is outrageous that about 15,000 innocent civilians had to die, including about 6,000

02:08 children, before the deal for a humanitarian pause was reached.

02:13 It was agreed only after Gaza had become a hell on earth and a graveyard for children,

02:23 after half of the homes and buildings in Gaza reduced to rubble and more than a million

02:30 inhabitants forcibly displaced.

02:33 The pause was only agreed after more than 100 UN staff lost their lives, making Gaza

02:41 the deadliest conflict ever for UN employees.

02:45 Mr President, we must not let the killings of innocent lives continue.

02:52 No more children must die, be maimed or orphaned.

02:57 We must stop the war, never allow anyone's hand be stained with the blood of the innocent

03:06 complicitly and directly.

03:10 Malaysia calls on the Security Council to heed the resounding cry of concerned citizens

03:17 of the world who have been demanding a ceasefire.

03:21 It is also the unequivocal calls repeatedly made by the majority of the UN member states,

03:29 UN agencies and the Secretary General.

03:33 Our focus must be to relieve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, unhindered humanitarian

03:40 assets and the supply of humanitarian aid, including life-saving essentials such as

03:47 water, food, medicine and fuel, up to scale throughout Gaza must be guaranteed.

03:55 Malaysia rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians, which is a clear violation of

04:02 international law.

04:04 Malaysia is deeply concerned with Israel's intention to unilaterally establish so-called

04:12 safe zones, which has been rejected by the UN and other humanitarian agencies.

04:18 Mr. President, the only way to achieve a just and durable solution to the Palestinian question

04:26 is by granting the Palestinian people their inalienable right to self-determination through

04:33 the establishment of a free and independent State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders

04:41 with East Jerusalem as its capital.

04:45 The Security Council must deliver on its responsibility and start taking all necessary steps to make

04:53 the two-state solution a reality.

04:56 It is the solution that enjoys the overwhelming support of the international community and

05:02 endorsed by numerous UN resolutions.

05:07 The cycle of violence that has long been inflicted upon generations of Palestinians must end.

05:15 They must emerge from the present darkness into a better, brighter future.

05:23 Too much time has been wasted and too many innocent lives have been lost.

05:30 The whole world is looking and counting on the UN, especially the Security Council.

05:37 This body has failed for Palestinians too many times and for far too long.

05:45 It is time to deliver.

05:47 It is time to rectify these historical misadventures of the great powers that caused one of the

05:54 bloodiest and unending killings of the innocent lives since more than seven decades in modern

06:02 history.

06:03 This is the clear message, not only from my fellow Malaysians, but from all peace-loving

06:14 citizens of the world.

06:16 Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

06:23 Thank you.

06:24 Thank you.

06:25 Thank you.

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