KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has expressed deep concern over the escalating clashes in and around,the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in a tragic loss of lives.
Wisma Putra has called on the United Nations Security Council to fulfil its Charter-mandated responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
In a statement issued by Wisma Putra today, the United Nations Security Council was called upon to urgently convene an Emergency Session to demand all parties stop the violence as well as respect and protect the lives of innocent civilians."
The Malaysian government called for all parties involved to exercise utmost restraint and de-escalate the situation and put an immediate end to further loss of life, suffering, and destruction.
"The root cause must be acknowledged. The Palestinians have been subjected to the prolonged illegal occupation, blockade and sufferings, the desecration of Al-Aqsa, as well as the politics of dispossession at the hands of Israel as the occupier.
"The inconsistency to act on the Israeli regime calls into question the uniform enforcement of international principles and highlights the need for a more consistent stance in addressing an apartheid administration.
"There should be no disproportionate treatment and flagrant hypocrisy in dealing with any regime that practises apartheid and blatantly violates human rights and international law."
It added that the Palestinians have the legal right to live in a state of peace within its own internationally recognised borders, based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as their inalienable right to return to their homes and property from which they have been displaced.
Malaysia has joined several other countries calling for a de-escalation of the conflict, after Israel launched air strikes and other military operations targeting Gaza that Palestinian authorities say killed more than 230 people.
This was after Hamas military wing, Al Qassam Brigades, carried out a complex attack targeting Israeli settlements near Gaza where its army faced over 5,000 rockets, leaving the Israeli army off-guard.
They were then joined by fighters from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian factions from Gaza who infiltrated into the border areas and clashed with the Israeli Occupation Army.
The attack was codenamed by Hamas as "Al Aqsa Flood" bore fruit when they managed to take control of the Israeli settlements over the border.
In response, the Israeli Occupation Army launched "Operation Iron Swords" against Hamas groups.