PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia has expressed regret that the international community, including the United Nations Security Council, has been unable to stop Israeli attacks on Palestine.

In a special televised address on Saturday (May 15), Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that the UN Security Council had yet to issue any statement on the current situation in Palestine due to opposition from the United States.

"Nevertheless, Malaysia will continue to work to call on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to act immediately to force Israel to stop its attacks on the Palestinian people," he said.

He reiterated the Malaysian government's stand which was consistent in its strong support of Palestine and its people, in terms of politics, economics and morally.

"The best solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can only be reached through negotiations to ensure lasting regional peace, security and stability," he said.

He said that Malaysia was all for a fair and equitable settlement through the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem the capital of Palestine as the only viable solution to the conflict.

"Malaysia will continue to support all efforts for a just and lasting solution, in particular, through negotiations involving all the relevant parties based on international laws and relevant UN resolutions," he said.

Mr Muhyiddin added that he had spoken with Indonesian President Joko Widodo over the situation in Palestine, and both agreed that Israel's actions should cease immediately.

"We were of similar views that the international community, especially the UN Security Council, should act swiftly to cease all forms of violence committed by Israel, and save the lives of Palestinians," he said.

He added that Malaysia together with Indonesia and Brunei, would issue a joint statement to strongly condemn Israel's attacks.

He also said that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) would hold a virtual emergency meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the latest developments on May 16,2021, with Malaysia represented by the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

He added that Malaysia would continue to make bilateral contributions towards Palestine in addition to contributions to other international bodies.

Mr Muhyiddin said that through the Humanitarian Trust Fund for People of Palestine supervised by the Foreign Ministry, Malaysia contributed US$10,000 (S$13,300) to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 2020, with the contribution channelled to the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

He said that in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the government provided one million face masks, 500 face shields and 500,000 rubber gloves to Palestinians, with the products sent via a special chartered plane to Amman, Jordan in May last year.

He also said that last year, Malaysia contributed US$120,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) for its operations and programmes for the year.

"Malaysia has been consistently providing strong support and contributions to UNRWA since 1978. Since 2015, Malaysia has contributed US$600,000 to UNRWA," he said.

He also thanked non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Malaysia and Malaysians on the whole who have always been supportive of the Palestinian people.

"I hope you will continue making contributions to Palestinians through legitimate charitable funds created for this purpose. All your efforts and contributions are meaningful for them.

"Let us all pray for the well-being of Palestinians who are now being victimised and oppressed by the Zionist regime. May the Palestinians be protected from cruelty of this tyrannical regime and Israel's occupation of Palestine land will soon end," he said.

To date, more than 130 Palestinians have been killed while hundreds more injured as a result of the violence.

The aggressions started with the attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque on May 7, followed by military airstrikes on the Gaza Strip from May 10,2021.

Israeli authorities reported eight deaths in their country as Hamas fighters launched rockets from Gaza in retaliation.