Anwar fetes controversial Saudi cleric criticised for being 'Zionist-friendly'

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently welcomed a controversial Saudi cleric accused of being friendly with the Zionist lobby in the United States and Israel.

Muslim World League (MWL) secretary-general Mohammad Abdulkarim Al-Issa's last visit to Malaysia in 2024 sparked criticism after details emerged of his previous engagement with Zionist leaders.

His visit also comes ahead of the International Conference of Religious Scholars, an annual interfaith gathering held in Kuala Lumpur for the past two years and organised by MWL.

"During the brief and meaningful meeting, we discussed several issues of international relations as well as matters related to the defence of the Muslim community across the continent, who are faced with war and oppression," Anwar said in a Facebook post.

"I pray that MWL's noble efforts and charitable works for Islam, Muslims, and the world will be blessed by Allah and will succeed as we have hoped."

MWL is a Saudi government-funded propagation outfit with which Anwar has long been associated, including during his time as head ofthe Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia, or Abim.

Three days after the US-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb 28, Al-Issa accused Tehran of committing "terrorism and corruption on earth", adding that Iran's response "violates all religious values, as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms".

His visit in May 2024 took place at the height of Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza, during which he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Universiti Malaya.

However, details of his past activities came under scrutiny, including how he and MWL were previously praised by the Israeli media, which viewed him as a useful ally in Washington's plan to normalise the Zionist state's ties with Riyadh and other Arab governments.

The normalisation of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel was part of the US-sponsored Abraham Accords to get the Zionist state recognised by Arab regimes.

It was reported that Al-Issa, a former Saudi justice minister, participated in a trip with the US Zionist group American Jewish Committee (AJC) to visit the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz, the site of the holocaust of Jews during World War II.

AJC is one of several Zionist groups countering growing anti-Israeli sentiment in the US with a series of statements defending Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Al-Issa has also had friendly meetings and shared the stage with other Zionist Jews, such as US-based rabbis Marc Schneier and Arthur Schneier, and UK-based Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, all of whom have defended Israel's assault on Gaza.

In 2021, he participated in an event at Yeshiva University, a Jewish institution in New York that has a campus in Israel, where he shared the stage with its president Ari Berman, a Zionist rabbi who spearheaded a campaign to get American universities to support the state of Israel following the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas.

In 2022, Israeli media hailed Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's decision to choose Al-Issa to deliver the main sermon during the haj pilgrimage. Israel's Channel 12 described it as a "significant signal" regarding the Saudis' stance on normalisation with Israel.

In a glowing tribute to Al-Issa, the Times of Israel described him as being vocal against anti-Semitism, the accusation frequently used by Israel against its critics, including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Al-Issa has frequently condemned "holocaust deniers", a term used to describe those who question the Western narrative about the extermination of Jews under Nazi Germany.

Al-Issa has denied sympathising with Israel, stating that he advocates the promotion of the common good with people of the Jewish faith, adding that they are referred to in the Quran as "people of the Book".

He also said that there are people in Israel who speak out against evil, and that he would condemn anyone, including Muslims, if they do wrong.