THE two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not only a legal commitment agreed upon by both parties but also represents the international consensus for the way forward.

Every year, the United Nations General Assembly votes to reaffirm the need for Israeli withdrawal to the pre-June 1967 borders, the halting of settlement construction and land confiscation in the occupied West Bank, an end to the occupation, Israel’s complete exit from East Jerusalem, and advancing the two-state solution.

Every year, what amounts to the whole world votes in favour of these measures, with essentially only the United States and Israel opposing them. To abandon the two-state solution would mean the capitulation of the entire international community to American and Israeli rejectionism. This is a non-starter.

A separate, independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, cannot be forfeited as our demand.  Anyone who wishes to surrender the two-state framework is implicitly absolving Israel of any obligation to recognise Palestinian statehood in any form.

Without this framework, we will rapidly return to the days of Israeli expansionism through military force and occupation. There is no doubt that the Israelis have demonstrated time and again that they are contemptuous of the global consensus, and have not approached the peace process with goodwill or sincerity.

This, however, does not impugn the process itself, nor the framework of the resolution it was created to achieve. It simply means that the world’s stakeholders need to assume a greater role in holding Israel to account for its belligerent defiance of international opinion and its legal responsibilities.

The Palestinian leadership, both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority under Mahmud Abbas, have accepted the two-state framework along the pre-1967 borders.

Israel’s intransigence must end. Israel must comply with the international community, not the other way around. For those who wish to respond to Israel’s defiance by scrapping the two-state solution itself, they must know that this would constitute an unequivocal victory for Israel, and an unsalvageable defeat for the Palestinians.

And it would most certainly unleash the Israeli military against Gaza and the West Bank to enforce Israel’s “final solution” to the Palestinian problem – resulting in mass expulsion and ethnic cleansing of their territories.

Malaysians stand with the Palestinians and their right to full statehood upon the agreed borders, including East Jerusalem as their capital, and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees. The only mechanism for pursuing these rights today is through the two-state solution.

Until today, the fact remains that UN Security Council has not addressed the conflict. The UN charter states that the threat or use of force against other states is unlawful. 

Those intensifying atrocities and escalation of violence by the Israeli Zionist regime are clearly against human rights principles, raising deep concerns among the world communities about critical humanitarian and deteriorating human rights situation in Palestine.

Leaders of our country, Indonesia and Brunei have issued a joint statement condemning targeting of Palestinian civilians by the regime. They also called on the international community to remain resolute in their commitment to safeguarding the two-state solution towards achieving an independent state of Palestine.

Malaysia’s foreign policy towards Palestine has remained steadfast and consistent since decades ago in accordance with the international principles of justice and equity. Putrajaya has become a vocal advocate in pushing for the Palestinian agenda in the international community and has unequivocally expressed its long-standing position on the premise that a two-state solution in which the Palestinians and the Israelis live side by side as the viable solution to resolve the conflict. – May 17, 2021.

* Mohd Naser Razak reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.