Malaysia Urges Muslims to Unite Vs. Jews
His speech at the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit,
which he was hosting, drew criticism from Jewish leaders, who warned
it could spark more violence against Jews.
Mahathir, who is known for his outspoken, anti-Western rhetoric,
criticized what he described as Jewish domination of the world and
Muslim nations' inability to adequately respond to it as he opened
the meeting of Islamic leaders from 57 nations.
"The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today
the Jews rule the world by proxy," Mahathir said. "They get others
to fight and die for them."
Malaysia, a democratic nation which has a large non-Muslim
population and does not enforce strict Islamic law, has long been a
critic of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and of U.S.
policy in the Middle East, including the war in Iraq (news
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sites) and its strong backing of the Jewish state.
Mahathir, 77, who is retiring on Oct. 31, has used almost every
international podium to lambaste the West for two decades, winning a
reputation as an outspoken champion of Third World causes.
"For well over half a century we have fought over Palestine. What
have we achieved? Nothing. We are worst off than before," he said.
"If we had paused to think, then we could have devised a plan, a
strategy that can win us final victory."
The prime minister, who has turned his country into the world's
17th-ranked trading nation during his 22 years in power, said Jews
"invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy" to avoid
persecution and gain control of the most powerful countries.
Mahathir added that "1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a
few million Jews," but he suggested using political and economic
tactics instead of violence.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled expressed
disappointment in the remarks but said he wasn't surprised.
"It is not new that in such forums there is always an attempt to
reach of the lowest common denominator which is Israel bashing," he
said in Jerusalem. "But obviously we'd like to see more moderate and
responsible kind of declarations coming out of such summits."
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal
Center in Los Angeles, said Mahathir has used anti-Israel statements
in the past to prove he's tough on the West. But, he said,
Thursday's speech was still worrisome.
"What is profoundly shocking and worrying is the venue of the
speech, the audience and coming in the time we're living in," Cooper
said during a visit to Jerusalem. "Mahathir's speech today is an
absolute invitation for more hate crimes and terrorism against Jews.
That's serious."
U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Marie Huhtala declined to comment on
Mahathir's speech. Washington was angered over a speech he made in
February, as host of the Non-Aligned Movement of 117 countries, in
which he described the looming war against Iraq as racist.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he supported Mahathir's
analysis, which also included steps for how Muslim nations can
develop economically and socially.
"It is great to hear Prime Minister Mahathir speak so eloquently
on the problems of the ummah (Muslim world) and ways to remedy
them," Karzai said. "His speech was an eye-opener to a lot of us and
that is what the Islamic world should do."
The summit is the first since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks
reshaped global politics and comes at a time when many Muslims —
even U.S. allies — feel the war on terrorism has become a war
against them.
"It is well known that the Islamic community is being targeted
today more than at any other time before in its creed, culture and
social and political orientation," said Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa al-Thani, who hosted the U.S. headquarters in the Iraq
war.
The status of Iraq also proved a divisive issue. Malaysia
resisted inviting the U.S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council,
describing it as a puppet of American occupation. But Arab countries
that have recognized the interim body prevailed and council
representatives were attending the summit.
Leaders attending the summit included Jordan's King Abullah,
Syrian President Bashar Assad, Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Pakistani
President Pervez Musharraf and Indonesian President Megawati
Sukarnoputri.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (news
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sites) and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (news
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sites) are attending as special observers because of their large
Muslim minorities.
