Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged firm punitive measures to be taken against Israel, strongly condemning the regime’s latest airstrikes on Doha, the capital of Qatar, as well as the ongoing massacres in Gaza.
Anwar stressed that decisive and final action must be taken, saying that mere condemnations will not stop the missile attacks and that repeated statements will not free Palestine.
“Firm punitive action must be implemented. All forms of diplomatic and trade relations with Israel must be halted,” he declared while delivering Malaysia’s national statement at the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Qatar’s capital tonight.
The Prime Minister described the indiscriminate bombing of the capital of a sovereign state as inhumane, brutal and indefensible, calling it an invasion of Qatar’s sovereignty, a violation of international law and an extreme provocation that threatens regional security.
He noted that this level of barbarity is particularly alarming because Qatar has long played a crucial role as a peace intermediary in the region under the leadership of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who has consistently and wisely fostered dialogue and reconciliation.
“To attack Qatar is to openly sabotage all efforts towards peace. This assault must be seen as an attack on all of us,” he said.
Anwar stressed that Israel’s strikes amount to a deliberate act of aggression showing that no country will be spared in the regime’s pursuit of its agenda.
He also voiced regret over the continuing suffering in Gaza, where families have been destroyed, hospitals bombed into rubble, and children buried beneath debris.
“In the West Bank, policies of occupation and land seizures continue unabated. This savagery has also spread to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, even targeting Iran,” he said. “This pattern of lawless actions clearly demonstrates contempt for the foundations of civilization and international norms.”
Anwar pointed out that Israel has openly declared Palestine will never be recognized as a state — a move he described as a proclamation of permanent apartheid and a rejection of all United Nations resolutions and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
In his address to fellow leaders, Anwar emphasized that countries with close ties to the United States bear a major responsibility in addressing this crisis.
“When America seeks dialogue with Iran, Israel responds with bombs. When Washington encourages mediation efforts with Hamas, Israel strikes Doha,” he said.
The Prime Minister also drew attention to a flotilla now sailing toward Gaza carrying humanitarian aid, not weapons.
“This is a humanitarian mission and we must do everything to ensure it reaches Gaza. Allowing it to be violently blocked would be a betrayal of our conscience — to defend the weak, protect the oppressed and feed the hungry,” he said.
Anwar attended the Extraordinary Summit at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani following the latest developments involving Israel’s attacks on Qatar. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, and senior Foreign Ministry officials.
