Malaysia meeting in support of Jerusalem, Palestinians

By Omer Faruk Yildiz

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AA) - International parliamentarians gathered in Malaysia this weekend to defend the city of Jerusalem as well as the Palestinians.

On the second and last day of the 3rd Conference of the Inter-parliamentary Jerusalem Platform in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, the parliamentarians came together to discuss Jerusalem and the U.S.’ so-called “Deal of Century” Mideast peace plan.

During regional sessions titled "Towards an effective strategy to end the occupation of Israel," Turkic parliamentarians from Turkey, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan spoke on the flashpoint city.

Hasan Turan, chairman of the Turkish parliament’s Turkey-Palestine Friendship Group, said that not just Muslims, but humanity opposes the persecution in Palestine.

“I listened to the speeches of deputies from Latin America at yesterday’s session. They’re not even Muslims, but they underlined that if needed, they would bear arms” for the cause, added Turan.

Turan also said 128 countries have rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called peace plan.

Trump’s so-called "Deal of the Century," announced last month, refers to Jerusalem as “Israel’s undivided capital” and recognizes Israeli sovereignty over large parts of the West Bank, including illegally built settlements.

Alpay Antmen, a deputy of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that the entire Turkish nation supports the Palestinian cause and that their human rights are being violated in Jerusalem.

Earlier Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also sent a message to the conference, saying, “We do not recognize this [U.S.] plan, which means annexation of Palestinian lands, completely destroys Palestine, and completely seizes Jerusalem. We never accept this attempt, which accepts a two-state solution on the surface but actually means legitimizing the Israeli occupation under the mandate of the American administration.”

Italian parliamentarian Michele Piras, representing Italy at the conference, said: “Jerusalem is, of course, the capital of Palestine, but it is also the spiritual capital of the world and the capital of peace and dialogue.”

When asked by Anadolu Agency about the U.S. plan, Piras added: “Turkey and Italy can prepare an alternative peace plan for Palestine to counter Trump's so-called peace plan. For this, we must ensure that Palestinians have their true freedom, that is, not only cultural but also economic independence."