Security Between Israel And Occupied Palestinian Territory Must Be Mutual - Malaysian Rep

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia believes that security between Israel and the people of the occupied Palestinian territory has to be mutual. Malaysia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Hussein Haniff said the security of one side could not be gained at the expense of that of the other. "Nor is there any hierarchy between the security needs of one side and those of the other," he said at the 10th anniversary of the rendering of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory in New York on Wednesday. Hussein, who is vice president of the 68th session of the General Assembly, spoke on behalf of the president of the General Assembly, John W.Ashe. The text of his statement was made available here Thursday. On July 9, 2004, the ICJ issued an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory. The ICJ stated that the sections of the barrier route which run inside the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, together with the associated gate and permit regime, violated Israel’s obligations under international law and should be dismantled. Ten years on, 62 per cent of the barrier has been constructed, including 200 kilometres since the ICJ Advisory Opinion. Hussein pointed out that this security issue was among the lessons that should be learned from those 10 years of non-implementation, however real and disheartening might be that consideration. "Of course, in the decade since the delivery of the Advisory Opinion, the relation between the two parties have become infinitely more complex. "And that complexity is the result, not only of changing dynamics between the two of them, but is also borne of factors and variables beyond their bilateral relations," he said. Therefore, Hussein said, the UN needed to keep this fact in mind as it sought to build on the various efforts attempted by the two sides themselves, or by the states in the region as well as beyond it. On the other hand, he said, the non-implementation of UN resolutions to the wall in occupied Palestine caused harm to the people on the ground. "When beyond the simple fact of no action having been taken, we see instead, action being taken which make implementation more difficult. "The inevitable effect is that grievous harm is done to the fabric of the rule of law which the Charter seeks to put in place, to say nothing of the harm done to the people on the ground who are affected by those actions. -- BERNAMA