‘BN manipulating Israel issue for own gains’

DAP reiterates its support for the Palestinian struggle and accuses BN of using the conflict to secure Umno's political position.

PETALING JAYA: PKR has clarified its stand on the Israel-Palestinian conflict to PAS and the both parties have openly acknowledged that there is only a “slight difference” between their respective stance.

When it was DAP’s turn to speak, the party didn’t stop at just reiterating its condemnation of Israel’s violence against the Palestinians but went on to reprimand the government for using the issue as political leverage.

In a statement to FMT, DAP international secretary Liew Chin Tong expressed disappointment with Barisan Nasional’s attempt to reduce a complex Middle East conflict to “cheap political games”.

“In the last Parliamentary sitting, Bakri MP, Er Teck Hwa was chased out of the Dewan Rakyat for pressing the Minister of International Trade and Industry (Mustapa Mohamed) to clarify the matter on the alleged trade relationship between Malaysia and Israel,” Liew stated.

Er had wanted to clarify some documents in his posession, including a customs document from an NGO, showing that Malaysia intended to have an economic relationship with Israel.

International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Mukhriz Mahathir, later said that although the Jewish-owned ships were allowed to dock, the state’s citizens were not allowed to enter the country.

However this earned BN criticism from the opposition for its “hypocritical” stand on the issue.

“It is tragic that the government is more interested in taking advantage on the plights of the Palestinians to secure Umno’s political position locally rather than advancing the legitimate cause and aspirations of the oppressed Palestinians,” Liew said.

The Bukit Bendera MP also emphasised that DAP acknowledged the government’s position on the conflict as declared by Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman, in his statement to the 66th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on Sept 27, 2011.

Anifah had said that Malaysia supported the application of the Palestinians to the UN and welcomed the readiness of both parties to hold talks on the basis of the existing international legal framework.

He had also stated Malaysia’s fully support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people for an independent State of Palestine based on the two-state solution.

“DAP upholds the ideals of justice, freedom and solidarity not only in our homeland but also in every country where peoepl are being oppressed,” Liew said.

“As such we stand with the disenfranchised people of Palestine and have consistently exerted pressure on the international community to end the conflict and violence in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.”

In support of UN resolutions

DAP national vice-chairman, Tan Seng Giaw, meanwhile said that DAP fully backed UN resolutions on the issue although he didn’t make reference to any specific ones.

Over the past decade, the UN’s resolutions on Palestine has included calling for a two-state solution, an end to Israeli measures in and around Ramallah, and a full cessation of war between Israel and Hamas.

“It is an obvious stand to make as Malaysia is a member of the UN,” Tan pointed out. “It is the right of everyone including Palestinians to be given protection. And Palestine should be allowed to revert to the way it was before the 1967 war.”

The long-standing Middle East conflict ruffled local feathers after PKR de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying that he “supported all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel”.

His views were seen to contradict PAS’ pro-Palestinian stand.

In a meeting with PAS spiritual leader, Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Anwar explained that what he meant was that there should be guaranteed security to Israel if four conditions were met.

While PAS was reported to have understood and accepted his stand, Nik Aziz later repeated PAS’s stand of not recognising “even an inch” of Jewish rights.