SEREMBAN, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will brief the Cabinet this Friday regarding a proposal to establish an US-led Peace Committee for Gaza.
However, he cautioned that Malaysia must remain vigilant, as the proposed committee is not under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) but is instead initiated by the United States and its partners.
"It is important that we are cautious. We do not want to find ourselves trapped halfway through," he told reporters after presenting Early Schooling Assistance to 976 recipients here today.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported as saying that Malaysia is taking a cautious stance before offering support for the Gaza Peace Committee, as long as the Israeli Zionist regime's attacks have not ceased and humanitarian aid is not guaranteed.
He stated that while Malaysia supports measures to ensure peace, several issues have raised concerns regarding the composition and mandate of the committee.
These concerns include the potential participation of the Israeli Prime Minister in the committee and the involvement of former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Blair is viewed as being directly involved in the invasion of Iraq and is perceived to have an opaque and unfair stance regarding the Palestinian and Gaza issues.
Meanwhile, Mohamad also voiced deep concern over the suffering of the Palestinian people, who are currently facing famine, freezing temperatures, and a lack of shelter, exacerbated by the ongoing winter and rainy season.
He noted that Israel, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has blocked the Turkish government from bringing in 3,500 containers intended for use as temporary housing in Gaza, despite the aid being offered on humanitarian grounds.
"These containers are in good condition and are meant for the Palestinians in Gaza to use. But Israel refuses to allow them in. We deeply regret this because our only goal is humanitarian - to ensure that people who have been oppressed for so long, facing hunger and cold, have at least some form of shelter," he said.
--BERNAMA
