The motion, tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and seconded by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, was approved after a debate of about five hours by Barisan Nasional (BN) backbencher, opposition and independent MPs.
The unanimous approval of the motion was announced by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.
At that time, a majority of the MPs were in the house, except for those who had to be away on official duty, including Parit MP Mohd Nizar Zakaria who was on another aid ship, MV Rachel Corrie, seized by the Israeli naval forces yesterday while heading for Gaza under the sponsorship of the Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO).
The Dewan Rakyat has 222 members, with 137 of them representing the ruling BN, 77 the opposition and eight independents. The opposition MPs comprise 25 from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, 29 from the DAP and 23 from PAS.
A total of 28 MPs, 12 of them from the BN, 14 from the opposition and two independents, spoke during the debate on the motion.
When winding up debate on the motion, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said Malaysia would work with friendly countries to get the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to pass a resolution to condemn Israel's actions and for its leaders to brought to justice at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
If this failed, he said, Malaysia and other countries having similar views on the Israeli action would urge an emergency session of the United Nations's General Assembly (UNGA) to be convened to pursue the same.
He said although the MPs had expressed their lack of confidence in the UNSC in taking action against Israel, Malaysia remained committed to the Palestinian cause.
Anifah also said the government would study in detail a suggestion by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which called on Malaysia to combine forces with Turkey to take military action against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"It has to be studied in detail, more so as Malaysia and Turkey are not signatories of the Rome Statutes governing the ICC," he said, adding that Malaysia would pursue this matter through the UN.
He also took to task Opposition MP Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) for trying to suggest that the Prime Minister had let the United States (US) off the hook in the matter.
"When tabling the motion, the Prime Minister had clearly urged the US not to give excuses for Israel's actions," he said, adding that Azmin's contention there was hypocrisy on the part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno as the BN government had hired Apco Worlwide, a company allegedly owned by jews, to do public relations work.
He then told Azmin to scrutinise the company's website www.Apcoworlwide.com to verify for himself if there was any truth to his claims.
He also denied claims by PAS MPs Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar and Datuk Mahfuz Omar that the Malaysian consul in Istanbul was not committed in helping Malaysian volunteers involved in bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza , saying all steps were taken, not necessarily openly, to ensure their safety at all times.
Things then got a little heated up when Mahfuz accused the Malaysian government of having trade ties with Israel and that in May, Malaysia had exported palm oil to that country.
"No need to get overly sensitive, I have already said I will get back to the ministry concerned about this. I have also stated that I will be providing written answers to some of the questions that were raised today," he said.
Thanking the MPs for their support for the motion, Anifah said he would be personally writing to US state secretary Hilary Clinton on her country's lackadaisical attitude towards Israel.
"The resolution we took today will also be conveyed to the UN in a letter by the Prime Minister," he added.
The Dewan sits again Tuesday.
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