Thesun 2009-01-09 Page01 Un Session On Gaza

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No. 4675 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)

Friday January 9, 2009

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UN session on Gaza [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: Pressure from Muslim countries including Malaysia has forced the United Nations to convene this morning a special assembly to discuss Israel’s invasion of Gaza City. But while Malaysia is thankful to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon for accepting its request for the special assembly, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continued yesterday to tighten the screw, calling for UN sanctions against Israel. He also said any resolution passed by the Special Session of the UN General Assembly must ensure that Israel is forced out of Gaza, after an invasion that started on Dec 27. Close to 700 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, and about 3,100 injured so far. A letter signed by Ban was issued to Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Datuk Hamidon Ali, stating that the special session will convene at 5.30pm in New York on Jan 8 (5.30am in Malaysia today). Speaking after launching the Institute of Foreign Relations and Diplomacy of Malaysia’s new campus in Jalan Wisma Putra, Abdullah did not specify the type of sanctions he wanted imposed on Israel, saying “it depends on the UN”. He said sanctions must be considered on the basis of what Israel had done. “Israel must leave Gaza. Palestine must not be broken up further,” he said, adding that the UN must pass a resolution to this effect. Abdullah said the United States must take the lead, as an ally of Israel, in the ceasefire process. “Israel depends on US and the US must play an important role (in the ceasefire process).” He said he was sure Israeli ground forces entered Gaza after receiving the “go-ahead” from US President George Bush. “I hope America doesn’t hinder the resolutions of the UN.” Abdullah had recently criticised the US for not playing its role and using its influence to prevent Israel’s aggression. The US had instead vetoed a UN Secu-

rity Council resolution to condemn the aggression. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim told reporters the Malaysian government had requested the UN to consider resolutions such as ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian soil, and the humanitarian aid to civilians injured in the conflict. He said although not all resolutions could be passed easily, Malaysia remained confident that the UN will take pertinent steps to ensure there was ceasefire in Gaza. He said what was important would be the language used in the resolutions to be tabled, to reflect the international community’s pressure on Israel to stop its aggression and carnage in Gaza. According to him, Resolution 377 was on giving power to the UN General Assembly to meet, discuss and decide on

the sovereignty of Palestine and “now there is a minor amendment to include Gaza”. “In the coming Special Session, the US cannot oppose the resolutions to be tabled like what it can do in the Security Council,” he said. Abdullah also said the Humanitarian Aid Fund for Palestine was relaunched yesterday (picture below) and he appealed to all Malaysians to contribute like in the past, Bernama reported. “Regardless of race or religion, we can contribute an amount within our means and all donations are tax-exempted,” he said. On the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on Palestine on Monday, Abdullah said he would make a speech and it would be supported by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The Opposition Leader would also make a speech and Rais will wind up.

Israel must leave Gaza. Palestine must not be broken up further.”

BERNAMAPIX

by Tim Leonard

news without borders

PETALING JAYA: Police have investigated the policemen who had used excessive force on two men at Persiaran Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) 1 on May 27 last year, as revealed in a report by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on Wednesday. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said in a statement yesterday that action will be taken against the personnel pending instructions from the Attorney-General’s chambers. He said police had fully co-operated with Suhakam throughout the inquiry and had kept the situation under control several days before and during the night of the incident, which stemmed from the BMC access road issue. “There were no other incidents that night despite scores of vehicles passing through the area because other motorists had followed police instructions,” said Ismail. He said the inquiry could have been avoided had the complainants followed police instructions while driving through the road. He agreed with Suhakam’s report that it was important for uniformed police personnel, including the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) to use name tags and in fact, on May 27, all FRU personnel had name tags but these were covered by protective vests. “But the personnel could still be identified based on their unit numbers and the sections on their shields they were carrying. The operations of the FRU is consistent with international standards and laws of the country. Force used to make an arrest is proportional to the prevailing situation,” he said. The Suhakam panel had found that law enforcement agencies had used excessive force against mechanic Chan Jiun Haur, 23, and his employer Chan Siew Meng. The 41-page report, which was submitted to the police A-G and Home Ministry, found the police and the FRU personnel responsible for the violation of human rights during the incident. In the incident, scores of residents removed barriers placed at the Bandar Mahkota Cheras access to the Cheras-Kajang highway.

Rockets launched from Lebanon strike Israel GAZA: Israel pressed its offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip yesterday amid sharp Red Cross criticism that it was delaying access to casualties. A rocket salvo from Lebanon slightly wounded two people in northern Israel and briefly raised fears that Hizbollah fighters were opening a second front to relieve pressure on Gaza. But an Israeli cabinet minister blamed Palestinian groups in Lebanon. US backing for an Egyptian truce proposal has increased pressure on Israel to end its Gaza war as casualties mount. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza put the Palestinian death toll at

707 since the Israeli assault began on Dec 27. It said at least 3,000 people had been wounded. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she agreed with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on conditions for a ceasefire, but neither Israel nor Hamas has agreed on the details. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the government’s goal that “quiet will reign supreme” in southern Israel had not been achieved. A decision on further military action “is still ahead of us”, his office quoted him as saying in the south. Eleven Israelis have died in the past 13 days, eight of them soldiers, including four killed by “friendly” fire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said its officials and Palestinian ambulance workers had found four starving children huddled with at least 12 corpses in Gaza in a house 80m from an Israeli military position. Among the dead in the house, found lying on mattresses, were the children’s mothers, the ICRC said. In nearby houses in Gaza’s devastated Zeitoun neighbourhood, the team found another three corpses and 15 survivors, including several who were wounded, the Geneva-based agency said. It accused Israel of delaying ambulance access to the area and said the Israeli army must have been aware of the

situation but did not help the wounded, in violation of international law. “This is a shocking incident,” said Pierre Wettach, ICRC chief for Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. The Israeli military said it would investigate any formal complaint against its conduct, but said it had “demonstrated its willingness to abort operations to save civilian lives and to risk injury on order to assist innocent civilians”. In northern Israel, police said one of three rockets fired from Lebanon tore a hole in the roof of an old people’s home in the town of Nahariya, where two people were hurt. The attack initially aroused fears that Hizbollah

was behind it. But a senior Israeli cabinet minister pointed the finger at Palestinian groups in Lebanon. “These are isolated incidents,” Rafi Eitan said on Israel’s Channel 2. “We expected this.” In the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Israeli air strikes and ground attacks killed seven civilians and three gunmen, medical officials said. One Israeli soldier was killed, the army said. Gaza residents described an overnight bombardment east of the city as among the heaviest so far. In the south of the strip, tanks advanced towards Khan Younis town, witnesses said. – Reuters