Anwar welcomes 12-nation Western statement on Israeli settlements

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with a joint statement from foreign ministers of 12 Western nations on Sept 8, concerning sanctions against unlawful Israeli settlements. The measures are deemed a long-overdue policy change by several Western governments and must now be effectively implemented.

In a Facebook post, Anwar emphasized the need for these governments to leverage their diplomatic and economic influence over Israel to halt settlement expansion, address the plight of Gaza, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and highlight the gravity of the situation. He specifically noted the introduction of measures by Britain, Canada, and France to ban trade in settlement goods, aligning with several European countries that have already enacted such a ban.

Additionally, Anwar acknowledged the significance of British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's statement in the House of Commons, recognizing the UK's formal acceptance of the Palestinian people's struggle against the Israeli occupation. He further urged the international community to move from mere statements to concrete, binding actions that uphold international law, safeguard Palestinian rights, and ultimately achieve a just and enduring peace in the region.

The countries of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK have confirmed their plans to either introduce national restrictions on trade in settlement goods, or are actively considering such measures in line with their respective national procedures.