Amid an escalating war between Israel and Hamas, in which more than 8,000 people have been killed so far, the kingdom did not choose sides – it condemns both Israel and Hamas. While it slammed Israel for its military action in Gaza, it also condemned Hamas for targeting civilians.

Why is that so? As far as the Gulf states are concerned, Hamas is another terrorist group, the same way the Arab League declared the Lebanese Shia Muslim movement Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 2016. Hamas is a spin-off of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which gave birth to the Arab Spring uprisings – threatening Saudi, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman monarchies.

Like a broken record, the Arab World led by Saudi will express its support for the Palestinian people whenever they are being hammered by the Israeli forces. They will donate some loose change like the recently US$2 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees  (UNRWA) in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War. But that’s about it. They won’t send military forces to fight the Jews.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was much cleverer, or so he thought. He had no idea that Hamas and Palestinians are two different things altogether. When Israel declared war against the Hamas and started pounding the Gaza Strip, he proudly told all and sundry about his good relationship with the terror group, bragging about his phone calls with Hamas political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh.

Mr Anwar is the only state leader, besides the regime in Tehran, to publicly declare Hamas terrorists as brothers. Instead of condemning the slaughtering of Israeli women, children and babies by Hamas, he has instead defended the terrorism based on the argument that Hamas won the elections in Gaza, conveniently ignored the fact that the last election there was in 2007.

Exactly where was Anwar when Saudi, leading a coalition of nine countries from West Asia and North Africa, launched attacks in Yemen, which has been ongoing since 2015 and killed over 150,000 people? And why Anwar kept quiet when Iran fired cruise missiles on Saudi oil facility? Ah, that’s because Anwar can’t find non-Muslim to blame in the conflicts involving Muslims slaughtering Muslims.

For 16 years, Hamas seized complete control of Gaza and has ruled without an election since 2007. The best part is while the people in the impoverished Strip face death in the new war provoked by Hamas, Anwar’s buddy Haniyeh lives a luxury life some 2,000 kilometres away in Qatar. Haniyeh’s wealth was derived from his control of Gaza’s economy while serving in the Hamas government.

Senior Hamas leaders, including Haniyeh, reportedly levied a 20% tax on all trades passing through the tunnels built in Gaza. According to the Arab Weekly, the Hamas regime’s taxes on imports, exports, businesses and tobacco has been opposed by Palestinian civilians who complained that it adds to their misery, but the protests have been cracked down by Hamas security forces.

In 2010, Haniyeh purchased a plot of land for US$4 million on the Gazan beachfront near the Shati refugee camp, which he registered under his son-in-law’s name. He also owns dozens apartments, villas and buildings in the Gaza Strip, registered under some of his 13 children’s names. Haniyeh’s son Maaz, known as “The Father of Real Estate” in Gaza, has a Turkish passport, allowing free travelling abroad.

Condemning Israel’s “barbaric” acts in bombing Palestinians in Gaza, hypocrite Anwar disagreed with western countries to also condemn Hamas’ “barbaric” acts in butchering Israelis. Heck, to show he is a much bigger supporter of Palestinians, Anwar has pledged a whopping RM100 million, dwarfing Saudi’s US$2 million, in humanitarian aid for Gaza.