Kuala lumpur: International solidarity with the Palestinian people must move beyond demonstrations and statements and be translated into tangible action to pressure Israel to halt its settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory, said Palestinian Affairs Analyst Osama Nazzal.
According to Nam News Network, Nazzal spoke during a live video interview from Palestine on Bernama TV's Bernama World, emphasizing the urgency for the international community to act upon its stated opposition to Israeli settlements before the situation becomes more catastrophic. He was addressing the topic "Palestine Beyond The Headlines: International Solidarity With The Palestinian People."
Nazzal stressed the need for international positions to translate into action on the ground, referring to the global stance that views Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal and illegitimate. He urged international governments and parliaments to increase pressure through the United Nations and other international mechanisms to compel Israel to halt what he described as its colonial project in the occupied Palestinian territory.
"If the international community does not take tangible measures to force Israel to stop this colonial project, I think it is going to be more catastrophic and more disastrous," he stated. Nazzal called for an end to the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state on land occupied in 1967, emphasizing that international positions should not remain limited to declarations.
He warned of the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, highlighting the fragmentation of the territory into smaller enclaves and the increasing encirclement of Palestinian communities by settlements and Israeli military forces. "Cantonising, dividing the occupied Palestinian territory into small enclaves, keeping the Palestinian citizens in cages surrounded by the Israeli settlements and by the Israeli military," he described.
Nazzal highlighted that settlement expansion had reached a critical point, warning that Israel aims to increase the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank to more than one million, compared to the current approximate 800,000, according to his assessment. He noted that a growing international solidarity movement has strengthened pressure on governments and international institutions, involving universities, trade unions, NGOs, academics, and wider civil society.
He emphasized the development of a pan-solidarity movement, which has demonstrated its potential to influence political developments. Nazzal linked international public mobilization to developments at international legal institutions, noting that millions have called on their governments and parliaments to take stands on Palestinian rights and apply pressure on Israel.
Nazzal urged the international community to build on these developments, highlighting that Palestinian rights and the issue of ending the occupation require sustained international pressure and concrete measures. He acknowledged Malaysia's role, describing Malaysia and Muslim countries as the strategic depth of the Palestinian people, citing their financial and diplomatic support as crucial for Palestinian resilience.
He commended successive Malaysian governments for maintaining strong positions in support of Palestinian rights and against the Israeli occupation.