24-5-2024 (TOKYO) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim addressed criticism over his recent meeting with Hamas leaders, stating that the Palestinian group’s leadership considers him a friend, which he believes gives him an advantage in attempting to secure peace in the Middle East.
Speaking at a Nikkei conference in Tokyo on May 23, Anwar responded to the backlash he faced for meeting a Hamas delegation led by the group’s political leader, Mr. Ismail Haniyeh, in Qatar on May 13.
“I appealed to the Hamas leaders because I have an advantage. What’s my advantage? I know them, and they consider me a friend,” Anwar said, defending his decision to engage with the group.
During the meeting, Anwar stated that he urged the Hamas leaders to respect the decisions of their neighboring states, release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and accept the two-state solution.
“Is that an offense? Did I promote terrorism? No,” he asserted, dismissing claims that his actions were inappropriate.
While this was Anwar’s first meeting with Haniyeh since becoming prime minister, he had previously met the Hamas leader in 2019 and 2020.
Highlighting the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Anwar told the forum, “People can talk about the political crisis but be blinded by the fact that daily you see children, women, civilians, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches being destroyed.”
The United States and the European Union designate Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist organization that controls Gaza, as a terrorist group.
Anwar, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, visited Qatar on an official trip, where Hamas maintains a political office, and the Gulf state is acting as a mediator in talks between Hamas and Israel.
The ongoing war, which started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched armed incursions into Israel, has resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis and the capture of some 250 others as hostages, according to Gazan officials. Israel’s retaliation has claimed the lives of about 35,000 Palestinians.
Days after the October 7 attack, Anwar spoke to Haniyeh over the phone to express Malaysia’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people. He also attended and spoke at a pro-Palestine rally held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2023, while Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin said in April 2024 that the country had dispatched more than 1,500 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The broader Malaysian populace, a majority-Muslim country, has also expressed deep sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians, with American food companies deemed supportive of Israel currently being boycotted by consumers, including Starbucks, KFC, and McDonald’s.
When asked about his opinion on the US’s position on the Middle East conflict, Anwar acknowledged a “seismic shift” in how the conflict is perceived in the country but criticized Washington for not doing enough to end the violence in Gaza.
“It is unfortunate that the United States is not using all its might, influence and resources to call for an end to the killings. That’s all we are asking,” he said, accusing the US of condoning “genocide, apartheid, or ethnic cleansing” by not taking stronger action.
While the US delayed a shipment of bombs to Israel recently, billions of dollars worth of American weaponry remains in the pipeline for Israel. However, President Joe Biden warned earlier in May that he would halt the shipment of more weapons and artillery shells if there was an invasion of the city of Rafah, though defensive weapons like the Iron Dome would continue.
This week, the International Criminal Court prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza war and the October 7 attack, respectively.
On May 10, 143 countries, including Singapore, voted for a United Nations resolution backing the admission of Palestine as a member, with Singapore’s Foreign Ministry stating its support for “a negotiated two-state solution at a critical juncture in a very troubled region.”
