Doha: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim departed for Doha, Qatar tonight to attend the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit scheduled for Monday in the Qatari capital. The special aircraft carrying the Prime Minister took off from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Air Base here at 7 pm.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar is attending the extraordinary summit at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, following the recent developments involving Israeli attacks on the country. The Prime Minister's delegation includes Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry, while Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is scheduled to join the delegation in Qatar.
Present at the base to send off the Prime Minister was Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar is scheduled to deliver Malaysia's national statement at the extraordinary summit to reaffirm Malaysia's firm stance on the urgent need to end Israel's violations of international law, including the United Nations (UN) Charter and state sovereignty, that threaten regional and global peace.
In a statement on Saturday, Wisma Putra said the Prime Minister's participation underscores Malaysia's support and solidarity with Qatar, in addition to reaffirming Malaysia's efforts to defend the rights of the Palestinian people and to condemn the violence perpetrated by Israel. According to the statement, a final communiqu© outlining collective actions and positions in addressing the issue is expected to be adopted at the summit.
The Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit will be attended by leaders and representatives of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States and is preceded by an Arab-Islamic Ministerial Preparatory Meeting held today (Sept 14). The summit will discuss the latest developments in Gaza, Palestine, and the Zionist attacks on the territory, which Anwar previously described as inhumane insolence.
According to international media reports, the extraordinary summit has been convened to discuss the Zionist attack on Doha on Sept 9, allegedly targeting Hamas political leadership during a meeting on a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal. The strike in the Leqtaifiya area involved around 15 Zionist fighter jets, killing six people, including the son of senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, his office director (manager), and a Qatari security officer, while Hamas's top leaders reportedly survived.