KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia strongly condemns the action of the Israeli Zionist regime for using starvation as a weapon of war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which clearly contradicts the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Malaysia would continue to push for firm action at the international level, including through the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), to ensure accountability for crimes against humanity is upheld.
“This atrocious act clearly contradicts the Geneva Conventions of 1949, that it is illegal to use starvation of civilians as a method of war, including destroying food, water supply, crops, livestock or infrastructure essential survival.
“Malaysia is working hard with like-minded nations to hold the Israeli Zionist regime accountable for its continued violations of international laws,” he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Negara today.
He was replying to a question from Senator Hussin Ismail, who wanted to know the government’s latest steps to push for action at the international level, including through the ICJ and ICC, against the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war by the Zionist regime in Gaza.
Elaborating, Mohamad said Malaysia also expressed full support for the case brought by South Africa to the ICJ regarding Israel’s violation of the Genocide Convention of 1948, which also includes allegations of using starvation of civilians as a weapon.
In addition, he said Malaysia also welcomed the ICC’s move in issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes, including the starvation of civilians.
However, he said that both cases in the ICJ and ICC have not yet entered the trial phase.
At the same time, Mohamad said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan will also continue to defend the rights of the Palestinian people and condemn the Israeli atrocities at the 80th United Nations General Assembly to be held in New York, the United States, at the end of this month.
“Malaysia will push the international community to work together to bring the Zionist regime of Israel to justice. Malaysia will also continue to demand that concrete action be taken by the United Nations Security Council,” he said. – Bernama