Putrajaya: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for stronger cooperation between ASEAN countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to end Israel's atrocities in Gaza. Speaking to reporters after performing Aidiladha prayers at Masjid Putra here today, Anwar said that regional and international collective efforts are crucial to ending the prolonged conflict and the suffering of the Palestinian people.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar emphasized that this cannot be the effort of just one country. He noted that recent engagements with Gulf nations revealed a shared consensus on the issue. He suggested that ASEAN, the Gulf states, and a few other countries can unite to provide a clear message and exert strong pressure on the global stage to halt Israel's actions in Gaza.
Anwar's comments were in response to the United States' use of its veto power against a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution, which called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid. Malaysia has expressed deep regret and disappointment over the UNSC's repeated failure to adopt such a resolution.
In a statement last Thursday, Malaysia's Foreign Ministry stressed that the UNSC's ongoing inability to act on one of the worst humanitarian crises since World War II, largely due to veto power, is truly regrettable and deeply disappointing. Anwar further criticized countries that continue to supply arms to Israel, asserting that such actions contradict international law.
Anwar remarked that it is contradictory for countries to issue statements of condemnation while continuing to supply or sell weapons to Israel, violating international law and humanitarian norms. He called for diplomatic efforts to support the Palestinian struggle and help them reclaim their legitimate rights, including those in Gaza.
Additionally, Anwar mentioned that during Aidiladha phone conversations with leaders of other Muslim nations, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Shari, each leader expressed concern over the violence committed by the Zionist regime. Anwar noted that all parties conveyed a clear stance and agreed to continue consultations to find a resolution to the crisis as soon as possible.