Malaysian PM slams Israel on 'systematic dehumanization'

The Malaysian prime minister condemned Israel Friday for what he called its "systematic dehumanization" of Palestinians, saying the situation risked becoming a "catastrophe".

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Najib Razak stressed that there was a need to "permanently address the injustice" suffered by the Palestinians since 1948.

"Decades of impunity and the systematic dehumanization of Palestinians has culminated in increasing violence, increasing illegal settlements, and increasing violations of rights," said Razak.

"If the world continues to turn a blind eye to their sufferings, we risk another catastrophe in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," he said.

"We will also fail to uphold the right to self-determination, which was at the very basis of the United Nations when it was created 70 years ago."

Razak called for Israel to return authority over the Al-Aqsa Mosque -- Islam's third holiest site -- to King Abdullah of Jordan, whom he called its legal custodian.

Jordan administered the mosque up until the time of the 1967 Middle East War.

Razak added that it was Israel's duty to help Muslims from around the world to visit the site.

He also announced that Malaysia would accept 3,000 Syrian migrants over the next three years to help alleviate the current Middle East refugee crisis, saying the international community should be pushing for new solutions to it.

"The millions fleeing are people -- like us," he said.

"They should concern us all. We must respect our common humanity."