KUALA LUMPUR – More than 100 protestors gathered in front of the United States embassy on Jalan Tun Razak, here, earlier this evening, in solidarity with the victims of Israel’s alleged attack on a hospital in Gaza, Palestine.
The protest, which kicked off at around 8pm, led to the temporary closure by the police of approximately 100m of road leading to the embassy.
However, some protestors expressed their disappointment when they were denied access to the embassy to deliver a memorandum.
The situation became slightly tense when the police barred participants from approaching the embassy.
Calm was restored when the police successfully managed the situation and requested that all participants limit their protest activities up to 10pm.
A participant, 25-year-old Hussein Behesyti Mustafa, expressed his frustration but also acknowledged the police’s role in enforcing the embassy’s instructions.
“The police are merely following orders from the US ambassador’s representative, which only intensifies my anger toward the involved country. Perhaps it’s time for the Malaysian government to consider teaching them a lesson. Although it may be challenging to implement, we should focus on providing various forms of aid to Palestine.”
Another participant, Syed Abdul Ghani Adam, a 45-year-old private worker, said it was high time to put an end to the “dismissive” stance of the US over the conflict.
“The United States turns a blind eye to Israel’s actions, even though they clearly violate human rights and the rules of war.”
The protest, organised by a pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisation (NGO), saw the attendance of some politicians, including Pejuang president, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Pejuang information chief Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, and Pakatan Harapan (PH) Terengganu chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad.
In a related development, thousands of Palestinians staged protests on the main streets of the West Bank to denounce the tragic hospital bombing in Gaza on Tuesday.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has persisted since October 7, has resulted in many deaths and injuries on both sides.
To date, nearly 3,500 people have been killed in Gaza alone, with an additional 12,000 individuals injured. – October 19, 2023