Malala Yousafzai confirms support for Palestine after backlash over musical with Hillary Clinton
Activist Malala Yousafzai confirmed her support for Palestine in a post online after receiving backlash over a report she collaborated with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a musical.
“I have and will continue to condemn the Israeli government for its violations of international law and war crimes, and I applaud efforts by those determined to hold them to account,” Yousafzai posted on social media platform X. “Publicly and privately, I will keep calling on world leaders to push for a ceasefire and to ensure the delivery of urgency humanitarian aid.”
Yousafzai, a 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been criticized by some for partnering with Clinton on a new musical, “Snuffs,” which has begun playing in New York, Arab News reported.
In an op-ed published last November, Clinton argued against a full cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, saying it would allow Hamas to refuel and prolong the conflict.
Clinton has backed humanitarian pauses in the fighting to allow for aid to be sent to civilians in Gaza. She said she would eventually agree to a cease-fire, but it must happen at the right time. She criticized current Israeli leadership and said international interim leaders should support efforts to help Israel “resume control in Gaza.”
Users have posted online calling Yousafzai a sellout, among other things. The outlet reported that she has been met with suspicion in her home country of Pakistan, where critics have said she pushes Western feminist and liberal ideas on the conservative countries.
“I stand against any form of violence against innocent civilians, including the taking of prisoners and hostages. And I stand in solidarity with the people in Gaza whose voices and demands must be heard,” she said.
“When we see alarming signs of genocide, we cannot wait to take decisive action. We must work together to urge our leaders to stop these war crimes and hold perpetrators to account,” her post concluded.