Palestine: World must wake up against hypocrisy, says PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the world must wake up and see the stark hypocrisy through situations unfolding in Gaza.

Anwar said there was too much contradiction and hypocrisy in the arena of international politics, and it must be stopped.

"Well I would say that a good student of history and geopolitics wouldn’t be necessarily surprised.

"You talk about human rights at one end, and you deny rights to the others, for example, I make reference, you condemn Russia for the aggression because of Russia’s decision to take a Russian enclave in Ukraine, fair.

"That is condemned but with the Israeli aggression and taking over of legitimate Palestinian land, that is condoned, not only that, it is supported and defended," he said in an interview with Arab News on Friday (Oct,20) on the sidelines of the inaugural Asean-GCC Summit in Riyadh.

ALSO READ : PM holds talks on Gaza conflict

Describing the situation in Gaza as 'insanity', Anwar said Malaysia remained steadfast on its stand that the aggression and the ignorance towards women and children in Gaza, by making them suffer, must be stopped.

"I cannot understand why Israelis don’t understand that what was a Holocaust episode in the past is now being imposed on others," he said.

Commenting on the opening remarks by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at the summit, Anwar said Malaysia was fully behind the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the GCC to bring the crisis to a close and prevent the outbreak of a wider war.

"I happen to have to be the earliest responders, immediately, my response was to thank him and to say that we are with you and the GCC, because what you say when you take the lead, it will have a powerful impact as compared to Asean nations which are quite a distant land.

"Without exaggeration, to say that the opening remarks of the Crown Prince was very touching to me, they were passionate and it is timely that a leader in the Arab world take a firm position on humanitarian grounds," he said.

He added that the Crown Prince has played a pivotal role in the region including hosting and coordinating the GCC and Asean Riyadh Summit.

He said the foreign ministers’ conference was not an ordinary conference, but did secure some basic parameters and understanding of collaboration, particularly on humanitarian assistance.

"I have to take note of that and thank him, more importantly, the diplomatic nuances, is to then discuss specifically the role of some of the big companies there and there are some of our own companies here, how we can utilise each other’s experience in terms of research, new technology, green transmission, trade and investment.

"I will use every minute to make sure that we secure something important for both countries," Anwar said.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Anwar urged the international community to do everything in their power to guarantee peace in the Gaza Strip since thousands of innocent lives have been lost due to the attack by Israel.

Anwar said Malaysia believed everyone must work together to stop this madness of the continued killing practiced by Israel in Palestine, specifically in the Gaza Strip, which affected the lives of innocent people in hospitals and public places.

"We took a very strong position together, with our brothers, friends, allies, and neighbours. This heinous act must end. The international community must do everything in its power to guarantee peace.

"And I mean peace for all (...) but Gaza is now under siege, and people are struggling to live, there is no water, no electricity, no food and no medicine. The situation is truly tragic," the prime minister said. - Bernama