Malaysia will adopt a cautious approach before endorsing a proposed Peace Committee for Gaza, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, stressing that Israeli attacks must first cease and humanitarian aid access guaranteed.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat during Minister’s Question Time, Anwar said that while Malaysia supports peace initiatives, concerns remain over the committee’s composition and mandate. This includes the possible involvement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose past actions in Iraq are seen as compromising neutrality on Palestinian and Gaza issues.
“In principle, we support initiatives to ensure peace. But we have reservations about the formation of the committee and those involved. Many of the announcements have yet to be confirmed,” he said.
Anwar was responding to a question regarding a proposal by US President Donald Trump to establish a Peace Committee for Gaza. He added that the proposal cannot be considered reasonable while Israeli attacks on Gaza continue.
“Agreements may have been signed, but attacks by the Israeli regime persist. The first step must be to stop the violence, and the second is to ensure access to food and basic necessities,” Anwar said, noting that reconstruction efforts, including housing initiatives by Turkiye, have been blocked by Israel.
He added that Malaysia is consulting leaders from Arab states, Turkiye, and other nations before taking a position, and that the Cabinet will discuss the matter this Friday. The Foreign Minister has been tasked with obtaining a full list of proposed committee members.
