Anwar slammed for accepting Israel's right to exist, 'self-defence'

Pro-Palestine activists and opposition leaders have expressed shock and anger at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's stance recognising Israel's right to exist and to "defend itself" - two demands often made of Muslim leaders by Western governments backing the Zionist regime.

In the Dewan Rakyat today, Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs rebuked Anwar for his stance which he made during a recent interview with CNN, in which he was asked about his views on the Palestinian conflict.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari called on Anwar to retract the statement.

"In the current situation, doesn't have any right to exist, totally, absolutely," said the Pasir Mas MP.

"In the current atmosphere - in which injustice and all kinds of crimes are being committed by this state - we call on the prime minister to make a clearer statement and explain that what was said in the interview is not in line with the stance we should have taken."

Anwar, in an interview with CNN's Richard Quest, had criticised the Western media for spreading a one-sided narrative that ignores the occupation of Palestinian lands, before being asked if he accepted Israel's right to exist and defend itself.

CNN: But you would accept, a) Israel's right to exist. Anwar: Yes, yes.CNN: And b) Israel's right to defend itself.Anwar: Yes.

Anwar's answers contradict the Malaysian government's decades-long policy of not recognising the Zionist state.

Fadhli said he was aware of what was at stake and the limitations faced by Malaysia in taking a strong stand on the issue.

"But having made the call to expel Israel from the UN, why can't we also declare that Israel has no right to exist in the world today because this state was founded on genocide, oppression and the innocent blood of the Palestinian people spilled without reasonable excuse," he said, referring to Anwar's speech during the just-concluded Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh.

Earlier, Sik MP Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman questioned Anwar on his stance, while Padang Serai MP Azman Nasrudin described the statement as confusing and regrettable.

"I fear that the statement would be manipulated as if we are justifying Israel's actions in continuing its aggression against the people of Gaza," Tarmizi said.

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The stance taken by Anwar risks a backlash from activists in Malaysia and abroad who were already angered by his decision to bring in a company owned by Israel-friendly US investment giant BlackRock as part of a consortium to manage Malaysia's airports.

Prominent London-based Palestinian academic Azzam Tamimi expressed surprise at Anwar's stance, adding that the prime minister could have responded differently to such questions.

"The correct answer to the first question would be the following: 'Are you asking me to recognise the legitimacy of a colonial entity built on land stolen from the people of Palestine? Are you asking me to recognise the legitimacy of a state borne out of genocide?'" Tamimi, an authority on the Palestinian conflict who has written a book on the history of Hamas, told MalaysiaNow.

"The correct answer to the second question is: 'Who has the right to self-defence, the aggressor or the victim of aggression?'" he added.

The Malaysian chapter of global anti-Israel movement Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) said Israel was created from the land of Palestinians who were displaced by war crimes committed by the Zionist state.

"It is the Palestinians, not the Israelis, who have the right to defend themselves and be protected from oppression. Malaysia must continue its efforts to stop Israeli aggression and ensure it is suspended or expelled from the UN," said BDS Malaysia president Nazari Ismail.

A vocal group that regularly organises pro-Palestinian protests in Kuala Lumpur said there is no basis for the claim that Israel has the "right to defend itself".

"Israel's existence as an apartheid state and the Zionist army's response is not a defence but an ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people through genocide," said former MP Tian Chua, who is spokesman for the Palestinian Solidarity Secretariat.

"Israel attacks neighbouring countries also in the name of defending itself, when in reality it is just a pretext to expand its colonies."