Kuala lumpur: The international community must move beyond statements of condemnation and take concrete measures, including imposing sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel, said the State of Palestine's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Dr. Omar Awadallah. He emphasized that such measures were necessary to halt the genocide in Gaza, deter the expansion of illegal settlements and annexation in the West Bank, and stop settler violence against Palestinians. According to Nam News Network, Omar stated in a virtual interview on Bernama TV's Bernama World programme titled "Palestine Beyond The Headlines: The Push For Statehood" on Thursday, that sanctions are not a matter of preference but necessity. He argued that an arms embargo would prevent Israel from using weapons supplied by other countries to kill Palestinians, while sanctions targeting settlements, settlement products, and financial institutions could help end the illegal settlement enterprise. Omar stressed that the Palestinians are advocat ing for sanctions out of necessity and due to the international community's obligation to act. He also called for greater international support for the Palestinian government and its budget to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian society amid a prolonged financial crisis. The deputy minister highlighted that the government's inability to pay salaries to security personnel, healthcare workers, teachers, and other public employees has severely affected essential services, including healthcare, education, social protection, water, and sanitation. He noted that the lack of financial resources has prevented the government from repairing damaged infrastructure and rebuilding affected institutions, with unemployment remaining high and development effectively stalled. Omar suggested that the situation was intended to weaken the Palestinian government and create desperation among Palestinians, potentially forcing them to leave their homeland. Discussing Palestine's priorities at the 81st session of the United Na tions General Assembly (UNGA), he stated that the international community should take positive and irreversible steps, including recognizing the State of Palestine and supporting its full membership in the United Nations (UN). Palestine would also seek stronger accountability measures against Israel, greater support for the New York Declaration as a roadmap towards implementing the two-state solution, and international efforts to end the Israeli occupation. Omar affirmed that the ultimate objective was to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state and reunify Palestinians in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Gaza. He also urged the international community to protect the work of United Nations agencies operating in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which he said was facing mounting attacks. Omar welcomed measures taken by Malaysia and other countries against illegal Israeli settlemen ts, stressing that practical action was essential to deter further violence and territorial expansion. He warned that without action, Israel would be encouraged to kill more people, seize more territory, and attack Palestinian demography.