
Malaysia denounces Israeli bombardment of Gaza, says Asean ‘cannot remain silent'
Malaysia 's foreign minister on Sunday condemned 'atrocities' in Gaza, saying they reflected 'indifference and double standards' on the plight of the Palestinian people.
'They are a direct result of the erosion of the sanctity of international law,' Mohamad Hasan told his counterparts from the regional
Asean bloc.
Mohamad's comments ahead of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Monday in Kuala Lumpur come as Israel has stepped up its campaign this month in
war-torn Gaza
The bombardment has drawn international criticism, alongside calls to allow in more aid after Israel only partially eased a total blockade imposed on March 2.
'The atrocities committed against the Palestinian people continue to reflect indifference and double standards,' Mohamad said.
'Asean cannot remain silent,' said Mohamad, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of the bloc.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Netanyahu admits to Israeli support for anti-Hamas armed gang
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group in Gaza that opposes the militant group Hamas, following comments by a former minister that Israel had transferred weapons to it. Israeli and Palestinian media have reported that the group Israel has been working with is part of a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The European Council on Foreign Relations (EFCR) think tank describes Abu Shabab as the leader of a 'criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that is widely accused of looting aid trucks'. Knesset member and ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman had told the Kan public broadcaster that the government, at Netanyahu's direction, was 'giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons.' 'What did Lieberman leak? … That on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas. What is bad about that?' Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media on Thursday. 'It is only good, it is saving lives of Israeli soldiers.'


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, French Open: pictures of the week
Thick smoke and flames erupt from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Photo: AP Thick smoke and flames erupt from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Photo: AP share


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
With US-China rivalry ‘putting the squeeze' on Asian markets, is taking sides an option?
Caught in the undertow of swirling power plays between China and the United States, Asia has become like a piece of driftwood battered by the pounding of opposing tides. With key tariff deadlines approaching in July, and in light of lingering trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies, many countries in the region are facing a delicate, pragmatic choice: bow to Washington's growing pressure to crack down on supply chains and enforcement – or preserve the economic ambiguity that underpins their deep ties with Beijing? Asian countries have entwined their supply chains, technology, markets and investment with Beijing – accounting for one-third of China's total trade volume, or US$1.89 trillion last year. Meanwhile, some of them may need security assurances from the US amid the growing Chinese influence in the region, analysts said. China remains the top trading partner for 18 countries across the region and has been the largest trading partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for 15 consecutive years. Meanwhile, economic asymmetry and military advantage have often translated into Beijing's leverage in market power while, for many in the region, Washington represents security, diversification and strategic rebalancing, with its military presence, investment and advanced technology, analysts said. That leaves many Asian economies walking a tightrope – benefiting from China's vast market while remaining wary of the risks of over-dependence. For much of Asia, maintaining ties with both while caught in between has become a survival strategy.