KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak declared his backing for Palestine today, piling pressure on his rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim whose coalition partner PAS has demanded he retract his support for “all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel.”

The prime minister told a press conference Malaysia rejects the opposition leader’s statement and continues to support the Palestinian cause.

“Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) know this is not our stand. They know that Malaysia is very supportive of the Palestinian cause,” Najib (picture) said.

The PAS Ulama Council has demanded Anwar retract his remarks made during an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month unless the PKR de facto leader had been misquoted.

“If the Wall Street Journal was inaccurate in reporting what he said, then we hope he will sue the newspaper,” PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat told reporters in Kota Baru last night.

The Malaysian Insider understands Anwar will meet Nik Aziz as soon as possible to explain his controversial statement.

The Wall Street Journal had quoted the PKR de facto leader as saying in an interview last month that he supported “all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel.”

But the newspaper said Anwar stopped short of saying he would open diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, a step the former deputy prime minister said remains contingent on Israel respecting the aspirations of Palestinians.

Nik Aziz also said PAS was not in favour of the two-state solution to the Palestinian problem which Anwar subscribes to.

Anwar had earlier come under heavy fire from Umno and its media after his statement was published by the Wall Street Journal in January.

He was forced to defend himself by stressing that his remarks in the newspaper meant that he supported a two-state solution, which he said was mentioned by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman when the latter addressed the United Nations General Assembly in September last year.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also labelled his former deputy a Jewish sympathiser and a leader who disregarded the plight of the Palestinians.

Malaysia is a staunch supporter of Palestine and has no diplomatic ties with Israel.

Muslim politicians have long vied for support from Malays by denouncing what they say are inhumane acts of aggression by Israel towards its neighbour.