From Rhoma Ahmad Razali
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today held bilateral meetings with his Palestinian and Algerian counterparts on the sidelines of the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers here.
During his meeting with Palestine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr Varsen Aghabekian Shaheen, Mohamad reaffirmed Malaysia’s continued and unwavering support for the Palestinian cause at various international platforms.
He said the Palestinian cause remained close to the hearts of Malaysians, and that Malaysia would continue to stand in solidarity with and support the Palestinian people.
Mohamad also expressed Malaysia’s commitment to its longstanding relations with Palestine, including continued support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and Palestinian non-governmental organisations.
Meanwhile, Aghabekian Shaheen briefed Mohamad on the hardships faced by Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the ongoing genocide, killings and starvation in the Gaza Strip.
She also raised concerns over the shortage of humanitarian aid and the failure to fully and sustainably open crossings to ensure the delivery of basic necessities to Palestinians.
She further highlighted escalating terrorist attacks by settlers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, threatening the lives of Palestinians and their continued presence on their land.
Meanwhile, Mohamad’s meeting with Algerian Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Community Abroad and African Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, focused on bilateral relations and measures to further strengthen cooperation between Malaysia and Algeria.
The two ministers discussed Malaysian investments in Algeria and the establishment of a direct air link between Algiers and Kuala Lumpur following the inaugural Air Algérie flight on March 29, 2026.
Both sides also agreed to hold discussions at the officials’ level next year to follow up on concrete measures to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
They noted that people-to-people ties between Malaysia and Algeria had grown stronger in recent years, supported by increasing Malaysian investments in Algeria and the direct air link between the two countries. – BERNAMA
