ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Two countries in Southeast Asia (ASEAN), Indonesia and Malaysia, expressed protest and disappointment after the UN Security Council again failed to pass a resolution aimed at enforcing a ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian assistance in Gaza, Palestine.
The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, expressed regret over the failure of the UN Security Council to ratify the draft resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Indonesia regrets the failure of the UN Security Council on 20 November 2024 to pass a draft resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages,” said a written statement from MOFA Indonesia, Thursday, 21 November 2024.
MOFA Indonesia considers this failure to hinder the peace process and further worsen the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Indonesia also encourages the international community to take all necessary steps so that a permanent ceasefire in Gaza can be achieved immediately, and the distribution of humanitarian aid to Palestinians can be carried out immediately.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a press release issued in Putrajaya, Thursday, highlighted the draft resolution which received the support of the majority of UN Security Council members but was thwarted through the use of a veto on Wednesday, November 20 2024.
The use of the veto right is seen as destroying the international community’s hopes of ending the crime of genocide in Gaza and weakening ongoing efforts to find a solution to the crisis.
Malaysia urges the UN Security Council to take decisive action to end the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
The UNSC is also asked to carry out its main role in maintaining international peace and security, maintaining the basic principles stated in the UN Charter, and protecting the supremacy of international law.
The MOFA Malaysia statement stated that Malaysia continues to uphold solidarity with Palestine, and reaffirms its firm commitment to finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the Palestinian problem.
Meanwhile, during a question and answer session during a parliamentary session at the Dewan Rakyat Building, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he brought up the Gaza issue at the recent APEC sessions in Peru and the G20 in Brazil.
He said he raised this issue in front of world leaders, including United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Anwar underlined that Malaysia is one of the countries that is vocal about the Palestinian issue.
UN reform
On the sidelines of the G20 session in Brazil, said Anwar, he also held separate talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the President of the Republic of South Africa to develop a strategy to provide a new approach.
He said the three of them objected to the UN’s current position, and they demanded what was called world order governance, namely UN reform.
The world organization must be reformed and “power” not only given to existing countries, but extended to representatives of Latin America, namely Brazil, and South Africa as representatives of Africa, said Anwar.
Malaysia, he said, questioned why a country that violated all UN provisions was allowed to do so.
Countries that violate should be removed as members of the world organization, he emphasized.
He said that the UN is a body founded to recognize independent countries, which means it is anti-colonial
Previously on Wednesday, November 20 2024, the US again vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The draft resolution submitted by Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Switzerland received 14 votes.
The resolution also reiterates the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and urges the UN to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.
The resolution highlights the worsening humanitarian crisis and demands that the civilian population in Gaza be given immediate access to basic services and humanitarian assistance that is essential for their survival.
The US has vetoed three draft UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The US vetoed resolutions in October 2023, December 2023 and February 2024 and abstained from voting on other draft resolutions. (ATN)
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