Israel-Gaza: Malaysia will maintain ties with Hamas says PM Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim at pro-Palestinian rallyEPA

Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of Malaysia, has declared that his country will continue to support Hamas and” not chastise” them.

The prime minister told parliament on Tuesday that Malaysians if “unanimously support” the Palestinian cause.

Mr. Anwar was in response to US lawmakers ‘ suggestion that Hamas ‘ international backers be sanctioned.

According to researchers, this is also socially expedient in a nation where there has long been popular and bipartisan support for Palestinians.

After the US House of Representatives voted last week to sanction foreign backers of Hamas and the Arab Islamic Jihad, an opposition lawmaker had questioned Mr. Anwar about the Indonesian government’s position.

I wo n’t put up with any threats, including this one. Since we since UN members only accept decisions made by the UN Security Council, Mr. Anwar claimed that this action is punitive and unconstitutional.

Malaysia, which has a majority of Muslims, has long supported the Arab reason. It has maintained that no such reputation will be given until a two-state solution—one for Israel and one for the Palestinians—is realized. It does not recognize Israel socially. Meetings on Arab issues are frequently held in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital.

The 76-year-old Mr. Anwar has even defended Zionists since his time in college. Israel’s hostile attacks on Gaza have sparked prayer and large gatherings in Malaysia, as they have in many other parts of the world.

However, it has also prompted some Hamas-supporting actions. At the end of October, during Malaysia’s Palestine Solidarity Week, a picture of some teachers dressed as militants and carrying toys rifles went viral on TikTok, prompting Mr. Anwar to urge schools to keep an eye on events.

Mahathir Mohamad, Mr. Anwar’s mentor-turned-political competitor, has also spoken out strongly in favor of the Arab produce, urging other countries to keep quiet about what he has referred to as” Israeli war crimes.”

According to recent research from the Singapore-based think tankISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute by Julia Lau and Francis Hutchinson, Mr. Anwar cannot afford to be perceived as having poor opinions at a time when Malaysian religious conservatism is on the rise.

The Malay- Arab area at home is even giving the prime minister less and less support. According to a recent poll conducted by the Malay think tank Ilham Centre, just 24 % of ethnic Malay people approved of him. He had 88 % ethnic Chinese support and 81 % ethnic Indian support, in contrast.

Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a pro-Palestinian rally in Kuala Lumpur

EPA

Mr. Anwar had previously come under fire for no opposing Israel more forcefully. He stated in a 2012 interview that Malaysia if “protect the safety of Israel” but “be as firm in protecting the genuine interests of the Palestinians.” Eventually, he claimed that these statements were in line with the two-state solution.

However, Mr. Anwar seems to be adopting a more aggressive approach in response to the ongoing Israel-Gaziland conflict.

Despite the fact that the group had been chosen by Gazans to rule the area, he has rejected American pressure to denounce Hamas. He criticized Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip as” the level of backwardness in this world” at a pro-Palestinian protest last month.

Mr. Anwar urged media outlets on Tuesday not to refer to Hamas fighters as “militants,” contrasting them with the African National Congress ( ANC), which aimed to put an end to apartheid in South Africa.

The West “accused” the ANC and Nelson Mandela, who presided over it from 1991 to 1997, of violence, but Malaysian authorities had continued to support them, according to Mr. Anwar.

He stated that Malaysia needed to be made aware of its citizens ‘ problems and sensitivities, and that Palestinians had a right to reclaim their rights to their abused land, money, or dignity.

According to the Hamas-run health department, there have been more than 10,300 fatalities in Gaza, including 4,100 babies. On October 7, 1,400 people—mostly civilians—were killed in the Hamas assault on Israel, and more than 200 people were taken hostage.