Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel laureate, has voiced condemnation against Israel and reiterated her support for Palestinians in Gaza. This comes in the wake of backlash within her homeland of Pakistan over her collaboration on a Broadway musical with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Yousafzai, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, has faced criticism for her partnership with Clinton, who is known for her support of Israel’s actions against Hamas.
Titled “Suffs,” the musical depicts the American women’s suffrage movement of the 20th century and has been running in New York since last week.
In a statement on X, the former Twitter platform, Yousafzai emphasized her unwavering support for the people of Gaza, stating, “We do not need to see more dead bodies, bombed schools and starving children to understand that a ceasefire is urgent and necessary.”
She added, “I have and will continue to condemn the Israeli government for its violations of international law and war crimes.”
Pakistan has witnessed numerous emotionally charged pro-Palestinian protests since the onset of the Gaza conflict last October.
Popular Pakistani columnist Mehr Tarar criticized Yousafzai’s collaboration with Clinton on the X social media platform, labeling it a “significant blow to her credibility as a human rights activist,” citing Clinton’s perceived support for the “genocide of Palestinians.”
While Clinton has supported military actions against Hamas and rejected calls for a ceasefire, she has also advocated for the protection of Palestinian civilians.
Yousafzai has publicly denounced civilian casualties and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
According to The New York Times, Yousafzai wore a red-and-black pin to the premiere of “Suffs” last Thursday, symbolizing her support for a ceasefire.
However, author and academic Nida Kirmani expressed disappointment on X platform, stating that Yousafzai’s decision to partner with Clinton was “maddening and heartbreaking at the same time.”
The conflict began with an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,170 people, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Hamas militants also abducted 250 people, with Israel estimating that 129 of them remain in Gaza, including 34 presumed deceased.
During the administration of former President Barack Obama, Clinton served as America’s top diplomat, overseeing a campaign of drone strikes targeting Taliban militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan’s borderlands.
Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after surviving an attack by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 for advocating girls’ education as a teenager.
However, the drone campaign resulted in civilian casualties and injuries in Yousafzai’s home region, prompting further online criticism of the youngest Nobel laureate.
In Pakistan, Yousafzai is often viewed with suspicion, with critics accusing her of promoting a Western feminist and liberal political agenda in the conservative society.
