Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized his support for Palestine in the conflict in the Middle East and, speaking at the ASEAN-Japan summit, compared Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip to the US Air Force dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
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“We, Malaysia, of course, condemn Israel’s ongoing destruction of the Gaza Strip. These atrocities can only be reminiscent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We must collectively support efforts towards a peaceful and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” Ibrahim said.
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He also called for a “stronger commitment to upholding humanitarian and international law” amid the global political crisis.
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The Japan-ASEAN Summit takes place from December 16 to 18 with the participation of the countries’ leaders. A number of bilateral meetings are also taking place on the sidelines of the forum. On Saturday, Japan’s prime minister held high-level meetings with the leaders of Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and East Timor.
