UMNO, Bersatu and Pejuang are unlikely to become a single political force despite unity over the Palestine issue, analysts said.

Although the Palestine cause is important to each of these parties, as it is for Muslims everywhere, it has little bearing on the fraught relationships between the three.

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said the Malay parties were too deeply divided for the issue to bring them together,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Kamarul, who teaches international studies, said the parties could even use the Palestinian issue to further their own agendas.

“Anti-Perikatan Nasional forces are using this issue to push for the resumption of parliament and to criticise the government, while others are using this issue to criticise PAS for allegedly being too soft.

“Anti-Pakatan Harapan groups, meanwhile, are criticising Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly supporting Israel while others are attacking DAP for allegedly being hypocritical,” said Kamarul.

Umno, Bersatu and PAS are part of the ruling PN government but Umno has given notice that it will not cooperate with Bersatu in the coming general election.

PAS is hedging its bets and conciliatory to both Umno and Bersatu. It is officially part of the PN coalition while Umno isn’t.

PAS’ partnership with Umno under Muafakat Nasional, formed in 2018 after Umno lost the general election that year, is also said to be weakening in many states after Umno’s open attacks on Bersatu and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government.

Pejuang, meanwhile, is in the opposition and headed by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who consistently supports the Palestinians against Israel.

The Malay-Muslim parties have made a rare show of unity in voicing opposition to the events unfolding in Palestine, following an escalation of violence between Hamas and the Israelis.

The recent unrest in the volatile region was sparked by an Israeli court decision to expel Palestinians from their homes in favour of Jewish settlers in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem.

This coincided with two important events – the end of Ramadan and Jerusalem Day marking Israel’s capture of the city during the Six Day War in 1967.

Global news agencies put the current death toll at near 200 in the Gaza Strip after week-long violence in which Israel responded with air raids to rocket fire from Hamas.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin, who heads Bersatu, has said Malaysia would continue to provide assistance to Palestine, while Dr Mahathir has called for stronger joint action and diplomacy from the Muslim nations to address the issue.

But beyond calls in support of Palestine, little will change the dynamics of local political parties, said International Islamic University of Malaysia’s Dr Lau Zhe Wei.

“It is too superficial to unite them,” said Lau.

Lau said the shared cause did not signal the end of conflict between local Malay parties.

“It’s just not possible as there are different political interests at stake for Umno, Bersatu, PAS and the Pakatan Harapan parties,” said the political science lecturer. – May 18, 2021.