PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he spoke out on the Palestinian massacre by the Israeli regime in front of US President Joe Biden recently because he “must tell the truth and facts”.
He said he also found the courage to do so because the Palestinian issue was close to the hearts of all Malaysians.
“Besides discussing economic matters, I went to the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) conference in San Francisco to explain Malaysia’s stand on the great disaster befalling Palestinians, especially those in Gaza.
“Some people asked where I found the courage to say all that in front of Biden and I said, I must tell the truth. I must tell the facts.
“They (the Palestinians) are being murdered, their properties seized, their land seized – meaning that their entire lives are being dispossessed, including their dignity, all because of the crimes committed by the Zionist Israel,” he said when launching the 2023 Karnival Usahawan Desa @Putrajaya here yesterday.
During the Apec Economic Leaders’ Informal Dialogue and Working Lunch with member economies, which Biden attended, Anwar had spoken about the bloodbath in the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s relentless air and ground attacks.
He said what was happening in Gaza was a clear abandonment of moral responsibility.
On Oct 31, he also told Parliament that the United States had tried to exert pressure on Malaysia over its stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict, adding that the envoy to the United States was called by US authorities.
He said this came about because Malaysia refused to condemn Hamas’ actions and brand the group as terrorists, adding that Malaysia had also received a demarche from the US Embassy on Oct 13.
Anwar said it was important for all to understand that the atrocities being committed by Israel were not only affecting Muslims but also Christian Palestinians who lost their lives and had their churches bombed.
He said due to Malaysia’s strategic diplomatic relations with countries near Palestine such as Egypt, Putrajaya was able to expedite humanitarian aid to those affected.
“Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi fulfilled his promise to prioritise humanitarian aid from Malaysia such as food and medicine. This is the result of our diplomatic relations,” he said.
