SHAH ALAM – Support for Palestine across the world has surged dramatically in the two years since Israel’s large-scale assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, reflecting a growing awareness of the reality of Israel’s actions.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim) president, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said that people worldwide were now more aware of the cruelty inflicted by Israel, which he described as showing clear signs of genocide.
He said the shift extended beyond public sentiment, noting that some Western governments were now beginning to take bolder positions in support of Palestine.
“After two years, we could see a major shift in understanding what was known as the rights of Palestinians, and Israel had been exposed as a terrorist state.
"The West had also begun to express support for Palestine. I believe the global political landscape concerning this issue had changed,” he said.
Azmi added that Israel’s dependence on the United States (US) had deepened, while close allies such as Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) were seen to be gradually changing their stance.
“If sufficient pressure was exerted on the US, I believed Israel would eventually have to accept demands to cease attacks on Gaza, lift the blockade and review many of its current policies,” he said.
However, he cautioned that statements of support alone were not enough unless they were followed by firm action to uphold justice for Palestinians.
“We urge that recognition should not stop at mere declarations but must be followed by further action.
"For instance, how Israel can be brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and compelled to comply with its rulings,” he said.
Commenting on the ongoing humanitarian efforts, Azmi described that the flotilla missions were a continuation of previous land-based initiatives that had become increasingly difficult due to Egypt’s refusal to open the Rafah border crossing for aid convoys.
“As a result, activists and volunteers had no choice but to use maritime routes to break Israel’s blockade that had been in place since 2007,” he added.