Ankara: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that global leadership continues to fall short in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that hypocrisy and moral failure are undermining efforts to uphold justice and accountability.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar expressed his views during an interview with Turkish public broadcaster, TRT World's One on One programme, amidst his recent visit to Turkiye. He described the situation as a "divorce of conscience" and "moral deficit," emphasizing the global community's failure to address the ongoing issues in Gaza.
The prime minister's three-day official visit to Turkiye, starting Tuesday, was at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aiming to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two nations. During his visit, Anwar highlighted the international community's misunderstanding of the historical roots of the Palestinian issue.
Anwar questioned the international community's grasp of the Palestine issue, stating, "You mean to say that after all that's happening in the world, you still fail to understand historical antecedents of the Palestine? I don't believe this." He suggested that the failure to comprehend the issue was not simply due to ignorance.
He criticized the support for extreme positions, saying, "Except if you take a very strong fanatical Zionist line or racist line or anti-colour, whatever. But there's no rhyme or reason why one cannot grasp." Drawing parallels with European history, Anwar reflected on the lessons humanity should have learned, questioning, "What happened to our humanity? What happened to our historical experience in Germany? Haven't we learnt anything?"
Anwar emphasized that the situation in Gaza is a continuation of colonial injustice, asserting, "Colonialism should be over, done and dead, but colonialism is still alive. It's thriving in Palestine, in Gaza, in front of billions of eyes." He underlined that the suffering of Palestinians has persisted for decades.
He warned that continued inaction by the international community could lead to further anger and extremism. Additionally, he expressed frustration over the blockade of humanitarian aid, noting, "Hundreds of containers are waiting, idle, to cross the border. And people are dying on the other side," highlighting the dire consequences, particularly for children suffering from hunger due to the blockade.