World should not close its eyes on the hypocrisy of the western leadership on situation of Gaza: Anwar Ibrahim
RIYADH, Oct 22 (SABAH): Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that the world must wake up and see the stark hypocrisy through situations unfolding in Gaza. He said that world should not close its eyes on the hypocrisy of the western leadership on situation of Gaza.
Anwar Ibrahim said there is 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 the sidelines of the inaugural ASEAN-GCC Summit in Riyadh.
Describing the situation in Gaza as ‘insanity’, Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia remain 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 Ibrahim 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 Ibrahim said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with “Asharq Al-Awsat”, Anwar Ibrahim 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 Ibrahim said Malaysia believes everyone must work together to stop this madness of the continued killing practiced by Israel in Palestine, specifically in the Gaza Strip, which affects 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.
While addressing the summit in his role as its country coordinator, Anwar Ibrahim reiterated the Saudi crown prince’s desire to see a two-state solution based on historic borders within the 1967 boundaries. He said Malaysia was fully behind the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the GCC to bring the fighting to a close and prevent the outbreak of a wider war.
He called on all nations to come together to find a long-lasting and just solution to prevent the situation from becoming “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis” that could widen into a regional and even into a global conflict.
“The Palestinians must be returned their land, homes and properties,” Anwar Ibrahim said, adding, “They must be allowed to live in peace and dignity in their own sovereign state in internationally recognized borders, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”