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17.10.03, 02:11
Oct. 16, 2003
Islamic summit host: Muslims of the world unite - against Jews
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Mahatir Mohammad
Photo: AP
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"They succeeded in gaining control in most of the [world's] powerful states,
and they – a tiny community – became a world power. But 1.3 billion Muslims
must not be defeated by a few million Jews. A way must be found."
Thus opined the prime minister of Malaysia, Mahatir Mohammad at the opening
of the two-day Organization of Islamic States summit he is currently
hosting.
"The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million, but today the Jews
are in control of the world via their proxies. They lead others to fight and
die for them."
Warming to the anti-Semitic theme, the Palestinian delegate Mohammad a-
Farrah said, "If we are weak, no one will support us. The Israelis respect
only the strong, and we must therefore all unite."
Israel's Foreign Ministry said in response to Mahatir's statements that
Israel is "extremely repulsed" by the Malaysian Prime Minister's "incitement
to hatred".
"Instead of working towards peace and unity between peoples, the Malaysian
Prime Minister propagates hatred. As expected, those taking part in the
Islamic Conference chose the lowest common denominator amongst them –
vilifying Israel and Jewish people. There is no place for Mahatir's anti-
Semitic remarks amongst enlightened nations. His remarks deserve the
strongest condemnation," the Foreign Ministry said.
The US described the Malaysian prime minister's remarks as "offensive."
"It's not the first time we've seen comments like this from that official,"
Deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said. "Let's be clear: the
remarks were offensive, they are inflammatory, and we view them with the
contempt and derision they deserve."
The two-day Islamic conference is the biggest in three years, with senior
representatives from 57 nations participating.
Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf has been a leading progressive voice at the
confernce: "We stand at crossroad of our future destiny," Australia's ABC
reported him saying. "We have to decide whether militancy, extremism and
confrontation will lead us to our emancipation, or a focus on our social
economic well-being will benefit us."
