• 'Some western leaders are completely blinded to the atrocities for decades' in Palestine, says 77-year-old academic-turned-politician

ISTANBUL

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim questioned the double standard in the West regarding Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip as well as Iran's nuclear program.

Western nations calling for Iran to abandon its nuclear program need to be “fair,” Anwar told France 24 in an interview that was released Monday.

"No for Iran, yes, but no for Israel. Why these double standards?" he asked.

Anwar was in Paris for a trip last week.

Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, but Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied their existence.

“What if they want non-proliferation on the understanding it should not be used as a weapon, fair, but then it should be consistent,” he said.

Regarding Israel's attacks on the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, he said the people must be considered “so idiotic to ignore that thousands of babies are Hamas operators!”

The Malaysian prime minister, however, pointed out that “even in the West, people have voiced” their opposition to Israel's war on Gaza.

"I don't think the ruling clique, elites represent the aspirations, sentiments, and the conscious of the majority," said the 77-year-old academic-turned-politician.

"Some western leaders are completely blinded to the atrocities for decades," said Anwar, referring to the Palestinian struggle.

“I cannot accept the fact that the start of the issue or the crisis is October the 7th,” Anwar said, reiterating his support for a ceasefire.

“You, the French, tell us the spirit of égalité, fraternité. For what?” Anwar asked. “You (French) talk about freedom. You understand now why people rise, even against the French colonial powers.”

“Now, why do you condone colonialism? Why do you condone, accept the fact that some areas, Arab lands can be colonized? That I fail to understand," he said.

No war on Taiwan?

Anwar also sounded confident about the unlikelihood of a war between the US and China over Taiwan, where Malaysia sits across the waters from Taiwan and China.

“I'm not pessimistic, I think both leaders want to avoid war,” said Anwar, referring to US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.