An open letter signed by 47 Malaysian NGO’s recently was addressed at Donald Trumps, pertinently on his decision in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The letter describes the move as is in violation of international law and numerous United Nations Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions.
The Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 War (al-Naksah), including East Jerusalem, is considered occupied territory under international law and Israel has no sovereignty over it. It is also highlighted that even the United States subscribes to this position with regard to the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.
By UN Security Council Resolution 478 of 20 August 1980, the Council decided not to recognize Israel’s “Basic Law” and called upon those States which had established diplomatic missions in Jerusalem to withdraw such missions from the Holy City. The Resolution was adopted by 14 votes to none, with the United States abstaining.
The UN General Assembly, by Resolution 52/53 of 9 December 1997, determined that the decision of Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem is illegal and therefore null and void and has no validity whatsoever. The Resolution was adopted by a vote of 148 in favour, one against (Israel) and nine abstentions.
The letter reminded Trump how Britain, Germany, Turkey and even in the Arab world have opposed his decision and despite that, he did go ahead to please the Zionist lobby, and the Christian Evangelist and funders like the billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
Every time negotiations to resolve the conflict fail, due to the intransigence and unreasonable demands of Israel, the Palestinians are blamed. Any initiative in the UN Security Council to make Israel accountable for its crimes and gross violation of human rights against the Palestinians is aborted by US threats to exercise its veto powers. As a result, Israel is encouraged to violate with impunity international law, the Resolutions of the Council and the UN Charter.
On an application by the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice gave an advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s Apartheid Wall. It declared that the settlements and the Wall on occupied territory are illegal. The report of the United Nations fact-finding mission on Israel’s 22-day offensive on the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009 concluded that “actions amounting to war crimes and possibly, in some respects, crimes against humanity, were committed by the Israel Defence Force (IDF)”. The US blocked all attempts to implement these findings.
The letter also raises the recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) critical report on Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian population. Titled “Israeli Practices towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid”, the report establishes, on the basis of scholarly inquiry and overwhelming evidence, that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid. The US pressured the UN Secretary-General to remove it from ESCWA’s website. Thus, one more UN report exposing Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians has been killed and buried by the US, the “honest broker”.
The letter reiterates how the Palestinians have been resisting Zionist colonization for over a hundred years. Their history is filled with heroism, sacrifice and the blood of thousands of martyrs (Mujahid). Their struggle is unprecedented in modern history and an inspiration to millions of the Oppressed. The Zionists have used brutal methods, including ethnic cleansing, in an attempt to kill the Palestinians’ spirit of resistance, freedom and liberation of their homeland.
The letter reiterates the resilient nature of the Palestinian younger generation and their continuous struggle to free their country from the clutches of Apartheid Israel.
Signed
- S.M. Mohamed Idris , Chairman Citizens International
- Mohd Azmi Hamid Hamid , President Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization ( MAPIM )
- Mohideen Abdul Kader , Director , Universal Justice Network (UJN)
- Syeikh Ahmad Awang , International Union of Muslim Scholars , Malaysia
- Syeikh Abdul Ghani Samsudin , Chair Secretraiate for the Assembly of Ulama Asia ( SHURA )
- Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia (QFM)
- Aqsa Syarif (MyCare)
- Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (MAPIM)
- Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM)
- Viva Palestina Malaysia (VPM)
- Palestinian Cultural Organization (PCOM)
- IKRAM
- Yayasan Restu
- Pertubuhan Himpunan Lepasan Institusi Pendidikan Malaysia (HALUAN)
- Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF)
- Global Peace Malaysia (GPM)
- Sekretariat Himpunan Ulama Rantau Asia (SHURA)
- Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM)
- Palestinian Students Association
- Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia (WADAH)
- Institute of Excellence for Islamic Jerusalem Studies
- Palestine Center of Excellence (PACE)
- Muslim Care
- Malaysian Life for SYRIA (MLL4S)
- Rose to Rose (R2R)
- SALIMAH (Persatuan Persaudaraan Muslimah Malaysia)
- TERAS (Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Melayu)
- Kesatuan Ulama Muslimin Sedunia
- Ramat Care
- Jaringan Muafakat Ngo Islam Perak
- Citizens International
- Al-Nedaa Foundation
- Amal Foundation Of Malaysia
- Aman Palestin
- IKRAM Siswa Nasional
- Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS)
- Angkatan Masyarakat Insani (AMANI)
- Pertubuhan Kebajikan Darul Wardah (DARWA)
- Cakna Palestin Malaysia
- Persatuan Ulama Malaysia (PUM)
- Research and Information Centre on Islam (RICOI)
- Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM)
- Persatuan Perintis Malabari Malaysia ( PPMM )
- Inspirasi Muhibah Indian Muslim Malaysia ( IMIM )
- Union of NGOs of Islamic World (UNIW)
- Pertubuhan Iqra PIM
- Persatuan Al Hunafa
