MP WANTS UN TO COMPEL ISRAEL TO OPEN UP BLOCKADE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- A member of parliament for northern
constituency Jerlun, Mukhriz Mahathir, has called on the United Nations to draw
up a resolution to compel Israel to open up the blockade at the Rafah border
between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

He said this was to facilitate the entry of humanitarian relief into Gaza to
provide aid to the hospital and clinic in the area.

"As long as the border remained blocked, I am worried that supplies would
only pile up in Cairo and Rafah, south of Jordan and Lebanon, and would not
reach the Palestinian people.

"As long as the UN cannot force the opening up of the border to let in the
humanitarian convoy, the effort to help war victims in Gaza cannot be carried
out," he said when debating the motion to condemn Israel's attacks on Gaza at
the special parliament session Monday.

Mukhriz also described the crisis in Gaza as attacks by Israel against the
people of Palestine, and not a war in its true sense.

"The victims are not soldiers but civilians, including women and children,"
he said.
-- BERNAMA