Malaysia unexpectedly jumped into the fraught politics of the Israel-Hamas war when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vowed to maintain ties with Hamas even if his government were to come under outside pressure. Anwar has become one of the most vocal leaders in publicly criticizing Israel, calling its military operations in Gaza the “height of barbarism.” While political observers say that has made him popular at home by appealing to the Muslim majority, it puts Malaysia at odds with the US, its third-largest trading partner. Here’s a closer look at the history behind Malaysia’s stance.

While the government hasn’t said outright that it’s pro-Hamas, it maintains ties and reserves the right to engage with the group — listed as a terrorist organization by the US and European Union — in order to find solutions to the ongoing crisis with Israel. Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,400 people including civilians and soldiers.