Malaysia PM condemns Israel's ‘barbarism’ in Gaza

Malaysia Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim arrive during a rally to show support for Palestinian people in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 24 October 2023 [Mat Zain/NurPhoto via Getty Images]

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined 16,000 pro-Palestinian supporters to condemn Israel’s “barbaric” acts in the Gaza Strip and denounce its Western supporters.

The demonstration took place in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, and it was the largest in a series of demonstrations organised in the Muslim-majority country in the past few weeks.

The prime minister addressed the crowd gathered at an indoor stadium in Kuala Lumpur saying: “It’s a level of insanity to allow people to be butchered, babies to be killed, hospitals to be bombed, and schools to be destroyed… it’s the height of barbarism in this world.”

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“We are with the Palestinian people yesterday, today and tomorrow,” he added, noting that support from the US and Europe was encouraging Israel’s position.

Last week, Anwar said that he rejects Western pressure to condemn the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, noting that he spoke to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh earlier this month and called for an immediate end to bombardment in Gaza and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.

Demonstrators in Kuala Lumpur waved the Palestinian flag and held signs, chanting “Long live Palestine” and “Down with Israel.”

People gather to participate in the ‘Freedom for Palestine’ rally at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 22, 2023 [Syaiful Redzuan/Anadolu Agency]

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