Anwar Appearance at Pro-Palestine Rally in Malaysia Risks US Ire

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim addressed a pro-Palestinian rally Wednesday night where he sharply criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, remarks that come weeks before he hosts a key Israeli ally, US President Donald Trump.

“What we’re fighting against is the giant Israel,” Anwar told thousands who gathered in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. “But we are not, in the slightest, afraid or anxious.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks during a rally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Oct. 8, 2025.

Photographer: Vincent Thian/AP Photo

The Gaza conflict — where Israel has been battling Hamas for two years — threatens to complicate Trump’s planned attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Oct. 26-28. Malaysia’s main opposition party is ...