Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, has personally requested Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia, to restore funding to UNRWA. Ibrahim believes that the aid agency is the most efficient means of aiding the suffering civilians of Gaza.
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Speaking at the Australian National University in Canberra on Thursday, Anwar emphasized the importance of uniformly applying international law among countries.
“Regrettably, the ongoing heart-wrenching disaster happening in the Gaza Strip has revealed the self-serving motives of the highly praised rules-based system,” stated Anwar.
The various reactions from the western countries to human suffering are difficult to understand.
Anwar asked why the western response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was so loud and forceful, yet there was complete silence on the ongoing violence against innocent civilians in Gaza.
He stated, while delivering the 2024 Gareth Evans Oration, an event named after a past foreign minister with a lengthy tenure, that while there are a few exceptions, they are rare.
Anwar stated that certain nations deemed the actions taken by South Africa at the International Court of Justice as “counterproductive.” These actions accuse Israel of violating the genocide convention. Israel has consistently refuted allegations of genocide made against them.
“What would align better with a logical understanding of a structured system, than a plea to those principles in front of a group of 17 judges?”
Anwar remarked that it would be foolish to believe that these inconsistencies would go unnoticed.
When asked afterwards if he also criticized western reactions towards Australia, Anwar stated that he acknowledged the actions of Australia, New Zealand, and Canada for deviating from their initial stance and calling for a ceasefire and aid for humanitarian purposes.
In December, three nations voted for a prompt humanitarian ceasefire and the liberation of captive individuals. They also released a mutual statement in February, cautioning Israel against a dire ground attack in southern Gaza’s Rafah region.
Israel asserts that their intended goal is to “eliminate” Hamas and release over 100 hostages who are still being held in Gaza following the militant group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7th.
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Anwar mentioned that the conflict had a longer background. He explained that Palestinians have faced hardships since the Nakba, which refers to the catastrophic event where hundreds of thousands of individuals were forced to leave or escaped from their homeland after the establishment of Israel as a state.
“Please, put an end to the violence towards children, women and innocent civilians. Thankfully, Australia has consistently supported this plea.”
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During a Monday meeting in Melbourne, Anwar stated that he had suggested to Albanese to provide funding for UNRWA while also looking into allegations made by Israel that 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in the 7 October attack.
“[Albanese] was very attentive, very polite, as most good politicians [are] … and allowed me to present my case very strongly on the issue of Gaza,” he said.
In light of rumors that Canada may resume funding for UNRWA, Albanese stated to the press on Wednesday that Australia will consider providing an additional $6m in funding, which was previously put on hold in January.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, originally from Malaysia, enthusiastically greeted Anwar’s presence on the ANU stage on Thursday.
“It is an immense privilege for me, as a proud person from Sabah and Australia, to present you today, Prime Minister,” she expressed.
Wong stressed the significance of using our voices to urge for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire and access, the liberation of hostages, and protection of civilians.
Wong advocated for a lasting resolution involving the establishment of an autonomous Palestinian state alongside Israel. Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, unlike Australia.
Wong also addressed the collateral effects of the situation on social harmony: “Unfortunately, here in Australia, we witness individuals who proclaim to advocate for human rights and fairness behaving in manners that demonstrate little consideration for either.”
According to Wong, there have been efforts to intimidate and defame individuals, as well as displays of anti-semitism and Islamophobia. However, Australia should uphold its values of diversity.
Source: theguardian.com
