Former Islamic Minister Ahmed Zahir has condemned the Mohamed Muizzu administration, along with several religious organisations within the Maldives, over their silence in the face of the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh, along with a bodyguard, was killed Wednesday morning when the building he was staying at was attacked — he was in Tehran for the swearing-in of Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian.
While no group has claimed responsibility, Hamas has accused Israel of the attack.
Zahir, the Minister of Islamic Affairs during the previous Ibrahim Mohamed Solih administration, said that while following the martyrdom of Haniyeh, countries, organisations and individuals had condemned the act, the Muizzu administration, as well as several local religious organisations, had no words for the Palestinian people and the Islamic Ummah, going on to describe the inaction as an insult to the Palestinian people.
“Ismail Haniyeh spent his entire life in steadfast jihad [for the Palestinian people]. May Allah make our words and deeds the same and give us wisdom. And may Allah forgive the sins of mujahid Ismail Haniyeh and grant him martyrdom. Amen!” Zahir wrote on social media.
China, Russia and Turkey were quick to condemned the attack as were Qatar, Iran, Malaysia and Yemen.