Hamas Denial Proves Anwar's Remark Favours Israel: Malaysia Pm Najib

KOTA BAHARU (Kelantan, Malaysia), March 2 ( Bernama) -- Najib Razak said Friday that the statement by Hamas, denying that it has a parallel stance with Anwar Ibrahim over his recent statement on Israel’s security, showed that the Malaysian leader's remark was in favour of Israel. The prime minister said the statement by Anwar was in stark contrast with the stance of Hamas. "It (Hamas) rejected Anwar's statement because it shows that he (Anwar) is giving more importance to the security of Israel than the struggle of the Palestinian people who have been oppressed all this while," he told a news conference here. Najib was asked to comment on the remark by Hamas political bureau deputy chairman Dr Mousa Abu Marzouk who denied that Hamas had a parallel stance with Anwar on Israel's security concern. Mousa stressed that Hamas would never recognise the Zionist regime as Israel was an illegally-founded country. Anwar had previously claimed that Hamas leader Khalid Mashal accepted his explanation over the controversy following a meeting with the leader in Qatar. Najib said that the government was consistent in its stance on Israel and this was proven in the letters written by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to three former Israeli leaders. -- BERNAMA