PUTRAJAYA, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed deep concern over protracted global conflicts, describing them as a severe test to international peace.
He said the suffering of the people in Gaza in Palestine remains unresolved, while the world is now confronted with fresh tensions following attacks by Israel and the United States (US) on Iran.
“What deeply unsettles me today is that the Gaza crisis has yet to be resolved. As we sit down to eat, there are people there who are still starving. Now, we are further burdened by the decision of Israel, together with its ally, the United States, to launch attacks on Iran today.
“If we have yet to learn the meaning of unity and moral responsibility, then I do not know what more is needed. Rarely in human history have so many tragedies continued to unfold before our very eyes,” he said at the Prime Minister’s breaking of fast event with staff of the Education Ministry (MoE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) at the Seri Perdana Complex here today.
Also present were Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, as well as more than 300 staff members from both ministries.
Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the US and Israel launched strikes on Saturday, which Israel described as a “pre-emptive attack” against its long-time adversary to “eliminate threats”.
The attacks followed a significant build-up of US military presence in the region aimed at pressuring Tehran to scale back its nuclear programme, and came amid Iran’s crackdown on large-scale protests.
-- BERNAMA
