Malaysian PM holds demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine

CAIRO - 22 December 2017: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak led a demonstration in solidarity with Palestine on Friday at Masjed Putra.

Thousands of Muslims joined Najib in the third rally in three weeks in Malaysia, to signal Malaysia’s commitment towards Palestinians and refusing Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has just arrived and not long before that former PM and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad. First time they've been in the same place for the same cause in awhile. #Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/KVJXpDceQj

— Sumisha Naidu (@SumishaCNA) December 22, 2017

Razak told the crowd that Malaysia will do everything it can to "save Jerusalem" and that he it will not be pressured by the U.S. "Yes, I have visited the White House and yes, Trump is a good acquaintance but I will not pawn the sanctity of Islam,” AP reported on Friday.

"There are 1.6billion Muslims. How many Jews are there? 13 million. 1.6billion can lose to 13millon? It doesn't make sense." - Malaysian PM Najib Razak on "fight" for #Jerusalem.
#Palestine pic.twitter.com/JaG5YBzVJb

— Sumisha Naidu (@SumishaCNA) December 22, 2017

"We are firm in our stand. We support the formation of a Palestine that is free and sovereign. We demand a Palestine with dignity and pride. We want East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told local media that the Cabinet will discuss next month a proposal by Najib for Malaysia to follow Turkey in opening an embassy in east Jerusalem and to recognize the city as the Palestinian capital, AP mentioned.

120 countries, including Malasyia, defied President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, disregarding Trump’s threat about cutting off financial aid to countries voting against his move.

PM Najib tells crowd this rally is not about politics - it's about coming together in support of #Palestine.#Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/tTnrjxRDyD

— Sumisha Naidu (@SumishaCNA) December 22, 2017

Malaysians protested for the first time on December 8 near the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur against U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. They shouted slogans and waved the Palestinian flag during the protest.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Datuk Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that the people should be united and ignore their political differences to show support for Palestine against the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the newspaper Malaysia Updates reported on December 16.

According to The Star, Malaysia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Mohd Shahrul Ikram Yaakob affirmed the country’s support for a peaceful two-state solution, adding that Malaysia is concerned that the U.S. decision will feed into the agenda of extremists.