Malaysia's key role in strengthening global support for Palestine under Asean leadership
The Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia said Malaysia's support for Palestine has remained consistent, having witnessed four different Malaysian governments, all of which have maintained their commitment to the Palestinian cause.
SHAH ALAM - Malaysia's unwavering support for Palestine has made the country a prominent voice in building global solidarity.
As Malaysia prepares to take on the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2025, expectations were high that it will leverage its influence to encourage greater regional and global support for the Palestinian cause.
Palestinian Ambassador to Malaysia Walid Abu Ali acknowledged Malaysia's consistent support for Palestine, stating that whenever he spoke to Malaysians, he never needed to ask for their backing, as Palestine was already in the hearts of every Malaysian.
"Malaysia will lead Asean next year and with its vast diplomatic ties, it has the power to influence many other countries around the world to stand in solidarity with Palestine.
"As Palestinians, we deeply appreciate Malaysia and its people," he said during the The Palestinian Diaries: A Day of Culture, Stories & Solidarity event organised by Sinar Daily held at the Karangkraf Complex, here, yesterday.
He highlighted Malaysia's great potential to promote solidarity, noting that its strong diplomatic relationships with many countries could be key in rallying global support for Palestine.
Walid also noted that Malaysia's unwavering support for Palestine has remained consistent, having witnessed four different Malaysian governments, all of which have maintained their commitment to the Palestinian cause.
In addition to diplomatic efforts, Walid highlighted the challenges of advocating for Palestine on digital platforms, saying that many social media tools were influenced or controlled in ways that limited pro-Palestinian voices.
Despite these constraints, he urged human rights advocates and supporters of democracy to continue using these channels to promote the Palestinian cause.
He emphasised the need for Malaysians and global supporters to actively utilise digital platforms to spread awareness and counter the restrictions, stressing the crucial role of grassroots movements in amplifying the voices of those standing up for Palestinian rights.
"We still have many opportunities and we encourage those who believe in supporting Palestine to help us promote what is happening on a daily basis," he added.
One year on, the Israeli assault on Gaza has caused widespread destruction, immense loss of lives and humanitarian crisis.
According to the latest data compiled on Oct 1, 2024, released by Palestine International Forum for Media and Communication (Tawasol), more than 51,615 individuals are either confirmed dead or missing, including 41,615 fatalities, among them 16,859 children and 11,429 women.
Around 10,000 people remained unaccounted for, many presumed to be buried beneath rubble or left abandoned in the streets.
A total of 96,210 people have been injured, with women and children comprising 69 per cent of the wounded.
Israeli airstrikes have dropped 45,000 missiles and bombs on the Gaza Strip, unleashing over 85,000 tonnes of explosives, which was more than six times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
This bombardment has resulted in over 40 million tonnes of rubble spread across Gaza's governorates.
