KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia is openly critical of Israel’s aggression against Palestine as the conflict could spread to other parts of the world if allowed to escalate.
He said the continued oppression and violence in the Middle East could lead to dangerous ideologies that would spread globally if countries did not speak out against the conflict.
“What is our concern? You allow this to continue, the violence and war will spread and if the international community, including the United States, can ignore the plight, you are actually inviting extremism and terrorism. We must stop this.
“We as the international community must take all measures to stop any form of terror. But how do you resolve this? By having an international order that can be trusted as fair and just.
“If we choose to ignore, there’s two potential dangers. One is the danger of the extremists taking the narrative. Second is you may provoke unintentional extension of the war. This is of course something that we must avoid,” he said in an interview with Al Arabiya that was posted on his Facebook account.
For now, Anwar said humanitarian assistance should be prioritised until a feasible solution to the conflict is developed.
He also said any sustainable solution to the decades-old conflict would require resolving the Palestinians’ concerns about the occupation of their territories.
Anwar said Malaysia will back the Arab countries in providing all possible support to Palestine.
“I’m here (in Saudi Arabia) of course partly because of the invitation of the crown prince but also to use the opportunity to speak to other leaders such as the King of Bahrain, Emir of Qatar, UAE president.
“I must say that the leadership given by the Crown Prince and his firm position, which is much appreciated, from here I’m leaving for Istanbul to meet President Tayyip Erdogan and then move on to Egypt president because we are far away distance length but we are Muslims, but more important we believe in justice and humanity.
“So, the main players of course in the region, so what the Arab countries say is important. That’s why I have to listen to them and render all support possible. They will use a narrative and we will support them in every way possible. That is why I think we will continue to engage with most of them and whatever is necessary,” he said.
The Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7 after the Palestinian group launched a coordinated offensive against Israel on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, leading to retaliatory strikes by Israel that also cut off food, water, power, and fuel to the Gaza Strip where millions of Palestinian civilians reside.
