Malaysia is currently reviewing a United Nations joint declaration to urge Hamas to disarm and relinquish its governance over Gaza, says government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi said the Cabinet had been briefed by foreign minister Mohamad Hasan on the matter following a recent UN high-level conference coordinated by Saudi Arabia and France, Bernama reported.
“Our permanent representative to the UN was asked to review and sign a joint declaration, but the government decided that more time is needed to study it.
“At this point, Malaysia’s stance on Palestine has not changed. Our stance is clear. Palestine has the right to exist as a state. We are not looking at any other matters beyond that,” Fahmi told a post-Cabinet press conference.
On Wednesday, Canada became the third G7 developed nation to announce recognition of Palestine as an independent state as part of a negotiated two-state solution. Britain and France have also announced they would recognise Palestine in September at the UN General Assembly.
Fahmi said that Wisma Putra has been given time to review the declaration in full, and the Cabinet has also requested Mohamad to brief the Dewan Rakyat early next week to provide further clarity on the matter.
“That will likely take place between Monday and Wednesday. I believe the minister will provide a more detailed explanation then, but the government’s stance remains unchanged,” he said.
The UN joint declaration, urging Hamas to disarm and relinquish its governance over Gaza, was signed by 17 countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.
The joint declaration, issued after a UN high-level conference, condemned the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. It also urged Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian authority as part of a two-state solution framework.
