Malaysia says Israel must get out of Gaza

Thursday 8th January, 2009

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday the United Nations General Assembly must ensure Israel is forced out of Gaza.

Malaysia in conunction with other states has been successful in calling an emergency meeting of the UN assembly for Friday morning. Malaysian officials say they want Israel condemned for its military offensive in Gaza, which on Thursday entered its thirteenth day.

Prime Minister Abdullah, speaking in Kuala Lumpur, said any resolution passed by the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday morning must ensure that Israel is forced out of Gaza.

He said the United States should also not oppose whatever resolution was proposed.

"We have proposed it (the Special Session), so as usual, Malaysia will be involved (in the resolutions)," Abdullah told reporters at the official opening of the Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations new campus in the Malaysian capital.

He said if a resolution on a ceasefire was passed, then Israel must withdraw from Gaza and not just set a condition for Hamas to stop its rocket attacks on Israel.

"Israel must get out of Gaza, then only will there be a ceasefire," he said.

Abdullah said he had not seen the resolutions to be tabled, but added that the United States stance was vital in resolving the crisis because normally, Tel Aviv would wait for Washington's reaction on issues involving Israel.

"If the US allows it, as had been indicated by Bush's statement...Israel will start attacking. So, in this crisis, America's role is very important. We hope the US will not veto the resolutions called for by other nations," he said.

Abdullah said Kuala Lumpur also did not want to see Palestine continue to be divided, with the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on different sides.

He said Malaysia was committed to solving the issue of Palestine involving two countries (Palestine and Israel) which had their own boundaries and to be recognised by the international community.

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatum said what was important would be the language used in the resolutions to be tabled, "to reflect the international community's pressure on Israel to stop its aggression and carnage in Gaza."

According to Rais, Resolution 377 was on giving power to the UN General Assembly to meet, discuss and decide on the sovereignty of Palestine and "now there is a minor amendment to include Gaza."

"In the coming Special Session, the US cannot oppose the resolutions to be tabled like what it can do in the UN Security Council," he said.

**Berita di copy n paste dari Big News Network.com