KL Summit: International leaders focus on Palestinian issue

KUALA LUMPUR: The Palestinian issue took centre stage at the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 with Muslim leaders making renewed calls for the Muslim ummah to make it their main priority.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for reforms in international bodies such as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to protect the welfare of the world's 1.7 billion Muslims.

He also said that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) must be more effective in tackling issues faced by Muslims, especially the Palestinian conflict.

He said the unity of Muslims must be emphasised and that Islamic countries must not waste their resources by engaging in conflicts.

Instead, he said focus must be given to important projects that will spur economic development for Muslim countries.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, in his keynote address on Thursday (Dec 19), deemed the Palestinian issue as the main issue of the Muslim world.

He said the Muslim world would continue to support Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al-Thani also called for an end of Israeli occupation in Palestine and reiterated his call for stability in the Gulf.