KUALA LUMPUR,(Palestine Foundation Information Center)The Palestinian Embassy in Malaysia is accused of violating constitutional and ethical principles by refusing to issue passports to Palestinian academics and activists from Gaza residing in Malaysia, a number of Palestinian academics in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement on Tuesday.
Despite the ongoing Zionist genocide in Gaza, characterized by mass killings, displacements, and destruction, the embassy is alleged to be persistently implementing punitive measures. This includes blackmail and the withholding of Palestinian passports from Gaza citizens, with no response to their claims or engagement on the part of the embassy, the statement added.
The statement addressed its report to the Palestinian people, the human rights organizations’ leadership, the National and Islamic parties, and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
The statement read as follows:
“A collective of Palestinian academics and advocates supporting the Palestinian cause, currently residing in Malaysia, find themselves subject to an unjust denial of their right to acquire travel passports. This denial stems from what they claim are unfounded and harmful reports disseminated by the Palestinian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The available evidence strongly suggests that the embassy is imposing this restriction on Gaza Strip activists for political motivations.
The infringement on our passport rights has impeded our engagement in various activities supporting our people and cause, resulting in significant challenges for us and our families and impacting our legal standing in Malaysia. Despite extensive communication efforts and involvement of mediators, including with the Palestinian ambassador, we anticipated that official intervention would rectify the situation and put an end to these detrimental practices, which not only go against our cause but also tarnish the embassy’s reputation. Unfortunately, the issue persists without any explanation or justification, and our demands have yet to receive a meaningful response or action.
Following our recent communication with the Palestinian ambassador amid the Zionist war on Gaza, we anticipated his intervention to halt the injustice we are facing and put an end to the infringement on our constitutional rights. It is incomprehensible that our people in Gaza endure Zionist attacks while we grapple with the unlawful denial of passports, causing great concern for our families in Gaza. Persisting with these unjust measures and aligning with violations that only serve the goals of the Zionist occupier is completely indefensible.
We insist that the Palestinian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, led by Ambassador Mr. Walid Abu Ali, closes this matter and issues our passports. We anticipate him to fulfill his legal and ethical obligations in resolving the problem, which, in our view, the embassy initiated without a convincing rationale. We are urging an immediate cessation of all forms of oppression and blackmail carried out by the Palestinian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur against students, academics, and activists dedicated to the Palestinian cause, particularly through the concerning actions of its security Liaison Officer, Mr. Ahmed Bhais.
Failure to address these concerns will compel us to stage protests in front of the embassy and take further actions, confident in their effectiveness in reclaiming our rights.”
The signatories included the following:
-Dr. Ibrahim Edwan, Researcher in Civil Engineering at the International Islamic University Malaysia and Executive Director of the Palestinian Forum Malaysia.
-Dr. Akram Jouda, Academician.
-Dr. Sharif Abu Shammala, Visiting Senior Researcher at the Hashem Sani Center for Palestinian Studies at the University of Malaya and CEO of Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia.
-Dr. Abdalrahim Shehab, Academic Researcher in Architectural Ethics and Sustainable Architecture.
