Gaza Conflict: Malaysia Favours Diplomacy Over Islamic Military Alliance Proposal

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia continues to favour peaceful solutions through diplomacy and negotiations over the formation of an Islamic military alliance, as proposed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, to counter Israel’s oppressive policies in Gaza.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Malaysia’s foreign policy is guided by the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and international law, while firmly opposing the Zionist regime’s oppression of the Palestinian people.

“Malaysia believes that any form of cooperation should be comprehensive — not limited to military aspects but also encompassing humanitarian assistance and capacity-building efforts to ensure that peace and prosperity objectives can be achieved,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN–Padang Terap) regarding Malaysia’s official stance on the Iraqi Prime Minister’s call for the establishment of an Islamic military alliance to confront Israel’s oppressive policies.

Mohamad said Mohammed Shia’s proposal, made on Sept 14, was not raised during the Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit in Qatar.

However, he noted that Malaysia is ready to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Palestine should it be established under the UN banner, similar to the Malaysian Armed Forces’ (MAF) involvement in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

He said Malaysia continues to provide aid to the people of Gaza through coordination between the Foreign Ministry, government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including regional representatives who play a key role in on-the-ground distribution.

“If closer cooperation among Islamic nations can be established, including in the coordination of aid, it has the potential to strengthen Muslim solidarity and enhance the effectiveness of efforts to assist the people of Palestine,” Mohamad said. 

In response to a supplementary question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN–Padang Terap) on the proposal by Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the United Nations General Assembly to form an international military coalition to stop the genocide in Gaza, Mohamad said Malaysia remains committed to supporting any peacekeeping mission under a UN mandate and will act according to the organisation’s resolutions.

“If such a proposal is made by the UN, we will follow suit. Just as our Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) currently serves under the UN banner, Malaysia, as a UN member, will remain bound to participate in any military peacekeeping mission under UN authority, insya-Allah,” he said.

To a supplementary question from Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN–Kuala Pilah) regarding Malaysia’s stance on the 20-point peace plan and its implications for the future of the Palestinian people and the Middle East peace process, Mohamad said Malaysia has taken note of and welcomed the plan, which was presented by US President Donald Trump on Sept 29 in Washington DC.

He said Trump’s announcement yesterday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to implement the first phase of the plan marks a positive step toward achieving a ceasefire and ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“The first phase involves implementing a ceasefire, exchanging detainees, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza to the agreed perimeter line, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave,” he said.

Mohamad said the peace plan opens an important avenue to end the genocide and destruction in Gaza while initiating an international humanitarian mission involving countries such as Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye.

“Malaysia will continue to leverage its existing good relations to help ensure that the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh become the starting point for a full ceasefire and the immediate entry of humanitarian missions,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA