The prime minister walks with senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during his visit to the office building of Haniyeh, which was destroyed in an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City January 22, 2013. — Reuters pic
He said the visit was a show of strong support from the government and people of Malaysia to the struggle of the Palestinians, including those in Gaza who suffered from Israel’s atrocities for eight days in November last year.
“Israel’s brutality in Gaza was heart-rending for the people of Malaysia, with them until now involved in helping the Palestinians with various humanitarian aid, so it was only apt for me to visit the Palestinian enclave (Gaza) to express our support for their struggle.”
Najib said this at a press conference at the end of his three-day working visit from Monday to Egypt before heading for Davos, Switzerland today to attend the World Economic Forum.
The prime minister said his visit to Gaza yesterday also gave him the opportunity to state his support for Fatah and Hamas to establish a unity government as soon as possible.
“A unity government between Fatah and Hamas is important for the Palestinians, a prerequisite for them to achieve the success they have dreamed about in their struggle.
“I had stressed to Ismail Haniyeh (Palestine Prime Minister) and repeated it to Morsi (Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi) at our meeting last night for Egypt to be the peace broker or mediator,” he said.
Najib said Morsi had set the timetable for the two sides, Fatah and Hamas, to continue negotiating until they are able to form a unity government soonest possible and Morsi was optimistic about the negotiation.
On claims that Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas was uncomfortable about his visit to Gaza, Najib said it might have been misunderstood and he had explained to the Fatah representative here yesterday, that the latest issue was about the sufferings of the Palestinians in Gaza and not the West Bank.
“I could not visit Ramallah (in the West Bank which is controlled by Fatah) as its air space is under the control of Israel, which would not allow it unless we have diplomatic relations with Israel,” he said.
Najib said his original plan was to visit both areas (West Bank and Gaza) but this could not happen as there were restrictions in the West Bank.
Hence, he added, his visit to Gaza should not be misinterpreted as he was not giving more or less favour to Fatah or Hamas, but instead Malaysia urged to make the formation of a Fatah-Hamas unity government a reality as soon as possible.
Najib said a unity government for Palestine was vital as it was feared that the outcome of Israel’s elections yesterday might be a government whose policies would even be harsher towards Palestine.
He said the Palestine issue was very close to his heart also because when he was education minister and defence minister, he had sponsored two Palestinian children. — Bernama
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