NGOs Call For Foreign Affairs Ministry To Take Action Against Israel Within UN

The memorandum lists Israel’s violations to its obligations as a member state of the UN.

A memorandum supported by 36 Malaysian NGOs was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting they take measures to expel Israel delegations from the United Nations or at least suspend them from the organisation.

A number of members of parliament who support the memorandum are also included in the document.

The request was made due to Israel’s violations of its legal obligations under the UN charter, which the memorandum had listed.

Following this list, the memorandum noted that no state has ever been expelled from the UN and that the UN exists to uphold international law and cannot allow a rogue state to go against its international obligations without being liable for it.

Expulsion of a member state from the UN requires UNSC recommendation

The expulsion of Israel from the UN requires a recommendation from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The memorandum stated it’s likely that any action to expel Israel from the UN would be rejected given the unwavering support for them from at least one permanent member state of the UNSC.

However, there is precedent the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to act on its own accord, in the face of inaction on the part of the UNSC.

One case saw the UNGA taking the reins to expel a rogue state

A case presented in the memorandum to support this is a 1974 UNSC draft resolution aimed to expel South Africa from the UN based on their refusal to comply with UNSC resolutions (the continous occupation of Namibia), the country’s general defiance of the UN, and its continuing maintenance of apartheid.

The expulsion of South Africa was vetoed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

Shortly after, the Credentials Committee of the UNGA decided to take action when they refused to accept the credentials of the South African delegation since 1970 but the UNGA president (Norway) at the time allowed South Africa to continue participating in the UN.

However, due to the UNSC’s failure to take action the president of the UNGA (Algeria) decided that the repeated refusal of the Credentials Committee to accept the South African delegation amounted to a refusal to allow South Africa to participate in the work of the UN, until its credentials were once again recognised subsequent to the dismantling of the apartheid in the 1990s.

Malaysia condemns the Israeli government’s ban on UNRWA operations in Jerusalem

In a media report today (30 October), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has publicly condemned the actions of Israel in banning operations and aid efforts by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Jerusalem.

The report quoted the ministry saying “Malaysia unequivocally condemns the so-called legislation of the Israeli Knesset banning the UNRWA in the Occupied Palestinian Territory of Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza.”

“Malaysia denounces this move as a blatant assault against a United Nations Agency. It is a serious insult to the international community and the sanctity of an international humanitarian agency.”

“The Zionist Israeli regime holds no sovereignty over the occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, where UNWRA’s presence is welcomed by an agreement between Palestine and the United Nations.”

“This so-called legislation seemingly seeks to legalise what is an illegal and deliberate action of the Zionist Israeli regime to dismantle UNRWA as part of its strategy to erase the Palestinian refugee issue, undermining the right of return, which is upheld by the UN General Assembly Resolution 194, and starve those survivng the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and genocide in Gaza,” read the statement.

The ministry said it will continue its support for the UNRWA and urged the international community to take immediate, decisive action against the so-called legislation to safeguard the UN agency and to end the genocide against Palestinians.

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