*MALAYSIA MUST WITHDRAW FROM RIMPAC 2024*
We, the undersigned, note that Malaysia plans to participate in Rim of the Pacific international maritime military exercise, or RIMPAC 2024, which will take place in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 26 to August 2 and be hosted by the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
We call on the Malaysian government to immediately withdraw from the RimPac 2024 military exercise to protest against the participation of the Israeli military in that exercise.
Israel is a rogue and pariah state. It’s actions against Palestinians for over 70 years and its current genocide in Gaza demonstrate a blatant disregard for international law and human rights. Here are the grim statistics in Gaza to date relating to deaths at the hands of the Israeli military, which justify labelling Israel a genocidal rogue pariah state:
Number of deaths: at least 36,000 including more than 15,000 children.
Injured: more than 80,011
Missing presumed dead: more than 10,000
Medical workers killed: at least 493
Teachers and university professors killed: 356
Students killed: more than 5,479
Aid workers killed: at least 254
UN workers killed: more than 190
Reporters killed: at least 126
Israel has shown nothing but blatant disregard for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings of January and March 2024 with regard to civilian lives and for the March 2024 UNSC resolution calling for a ceasefire. On May 24, the ICJ explicitly calls for a halt in Israel’s Rafah onslaught. Israeli government and opposition leaders, in line with the behaviour of a rogue lawless state, have scornfully dismissed the ICJ ruling.
Israel has responded contemptuously to the International Criminal Court’s decision to apply for arrest warrants for its leaders for a variety of war crimes against the Palestinian population of Gaza.
In short, Israel’s contempt for international law and Palestinian lives is an undeniable fact supported by mountainous evidence. The world should stop treating it like it is a normal, law-abiding state if it wants Israeli criminality in Gaza and the West Bank to stop.
We reiterate our call on the Malaysian government to immediately withdraw from the RimPac military exercise to drive home that message.