Malaysian PM defends Hamas ties during Germany visit

Image: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo/picture alliance, DW

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended his country’s ties to Hamas during a visit to Berlin on Monday, and said he makes “no apologies about it.”

Hamas is considered a terror group by the US, the EU, Germany and others.

“We do not have any connection with any military outfit or wing, I’ve clarified this to many of my European colleagues (and) the United States,” Anwar said at a press conference.

Muslim-majority Malaysia does not maintain any diplomatic relations with Israel.

“What I reject strongly is this narrative, this obsession, as if the entire problem begins and ends with the 7th of October,” Anwar added.

At the same press conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas’s terror attack” but also said that Germany “wants more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, we want the hostages to be released unconditionally, we want there to be no unnecessary casualties.”

Courtesy of DW