Does Israel have a right to exist and defend itself? Yes, says Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he recognised Israel's right to exist and to "defend itself", a position likely to raise questions on whether he subscribes to the Malaysian government's decades-long policy of not recognising the Zionist entity.

In a recent interview with CNN, in which he also criticised the Western media for ignoring decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories by spreading a one-sided narrative since the October 7 attacks by Hamas last year, Anwar was asked if he accepted Israel's right to exist and its right to defend itself.

He answered "yes" to both questions.

Earlier, Anwar was asked by CNN's Richard Quest whether he condoned the Hamas attacks when he said it was a consequence of Israeli aggression throughout the years.

"If, for example, we have the international community take a moral high ground ( that is) consistent, then I'd realise, 'yes we must stop the excesses'," said Anwar.

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.

The issue of recognising the state of Israel forms the basis of Malaysia's policy of not having relations with the Zionist state, a stance also held by more than 30 governments around the world.

Before the October 7 attacks and the massive Israeli bombardment of Gaza that followed, Washington had aggressively promoted the so-called Abrahamic Accords to get Arab and Muslim governments to normalise their ties with Israel - an initiative first launched during Donald Trump's first term.

On the other hand, Malaysia and many Muslim governments see the two-state solution as a middle ground that allows them to maintain good relations with the US while maintaining their support for a free Palestine.

Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza, which has so far killed more than 50,000 people, has effectively scuppered the two-state solution, with many Israeli leaders openly opposing any prospect of a free Palestinian state and even calling for the expulsion of Palestinians.

Anwar's latest comments in the CNN interview risked a backlash from pro-Palestinian activists in Malaysia who have already been riled up 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.

Anwar has dismissed protests against BlackRock's involvement, just as he defended the participation of US arms companies that supported the Israeli military at a defence exhibition organised by the Malaysian government in May.

Just last month, Anwar was criticised for holding a friendly meeting with Anthony Blinken instead of taking the opportunity to snub the US secretary of state, who is known for his strong pro-Zionist stance.

"Oh Anwar... You should have refused to meet Blinken as he butchers the Muslims of Palestine and Lebanon," said UK-based journalist and Middle East expert Sani Hamdi, in comments that made him the target of attacks by Pakatan Harapan cybertroopers.

More than a decade ago, Anwar was heavily criticised for an interview with the Wall Street Journal in which he said he would "support all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel".

A week after being sworn-in as prime minister in 2022, the influential Israeli newspaper Haaretz said Anwar's appointment could signal a new chapter in the Jewish state's relationship with Malaysia.

"Israel would love closer ties with Kuala Lumpur. Could this be the opportunity?" commented the paper's chief editor Esther Solomon.

The paper said it regarded Anwar as being more open to establishing diplomatic ties with Israel, comparing him to Dr Mahathir Mohamad who Israeli politicians have labeled as "anti-Semite".

"Despite his mixed record, (Anwar) Ibrahim is certainly more open to Israel than the hard-line Mahathir, which could potentially provide an opening for Israel to improve relations to some degree," it said.