Malaysia Apologizes for "misunderstanding" Over Statement That Jews Run World

[Woodrow]

Malaysia Apologizes for "misunderstanding" Over Statement That Jews Run World

By Patrick McDowell
Associated Press Writer

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia, faced with angry criticism from the United States and Europe, apologized Friday for "any misunderstanding" over assertions by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad that Jews rule the world.
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar struggled to contain the damage wrought by his blunt-spoken boss, who told a 57-nation Islamic summit Thursday that "Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them."

The speech drew immediate criticism from Israel and other countries and raised fears that it could fan violence against Jews. But it got a standing ovation from the kings, presidents, sheiks and emirs - including key U.S. allies - gathered in Malaysia's capital, Putrajaya.

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 in Jerusalem. "Mahathir's speech today is an absolute invitation for more hate crimes and terrorism against Jews. That's serious."

Mahathir had used allegations of Jewish dominance to buttress his chief point, that Muslims needed to embrace modern knowledge and technology and overcome divisions over religious dogma that have left them weakened on the world stage.

But the statements about Jews stood out, and condemnations were swift and unambiguous from the United States, the European Union, Australia and Germany, which summoned Malaysia's charge d'affaires in Berlin to protest the comments as "totally unacceptable."

"I'm sorry that they have misunderstood the whole thing," Syed Hamid, the foreign minister, told The Associated Press. "The intention is not to create controversy. His intention is to show that if you ponder and sit down to think, you can be very powerful."

Mahathir declined to speak to reporters who approached him Friday, telling them to wait until an evening news conference.

Syed Hamid said the world's Muslims were in a "quagmire" and feeling "sidelined or marginalized," reflecting a widespread perception in the Islamic world as the war on terrorism has evolved into U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Israel has increased repression of the Palestinians.

"Please forget about anti-Semitism," Syed Hamid told reporters.

He added that Mahathir's "message is to stop violence, which is not the answer for us to succeed in our struggle. People may not be very happy but this is the reality: the Jews are very powerful."

Syed Hamid noted that Malaysia has a state policy of religious harmony, in which the ethnic Malay Muslim majority lives alongside large non-Muslim Chinese and Indian minorities. The country is one of Southeast Asia's most modern and wealthy, and has jailed terror suspects without qualms.

"How can we be anti-Jew? It is far from the truth," Syed Hamid said.

Mahathir, a respected leader in the developing world with a long history of making articulate, provocative comments, is retiring Oct. 31 after 22 years in power. He told the Islamic leaders that Muslims had achieved "nothing" in more than 50 years of fighting Israel.

"They survived 2,000 years of pogroms not by hitting back but by thinking," Mahathir said of the Jews. "They invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so that they can enjoy equal rights with others."

Mahathir said the world's "1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews," but suggested the use of political and economic tactics, not violence, to achieve a "final victory."

In their reactions to the speech, most of the leaders at the summit focused on the aspects that Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher called "a good road map" toward Muslim empowerment.

Asked by the AP whether he thought the speech was anti-Semitic, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said: "I don't think so."

"Dr. Mahathir spoke of the inhibitions within the Islamic world and that those inhibitions must go away, and I entirely agree with that," Karzai said.

But State Department spokesman Adam Ereli called Mahathir's remarks offensive and inflammatory. "We view them with the contempt and derision they deserve," he said.

The leaders of the European Union, meeting in Brussels, Belgium, planned to adopt a statement saying the 15-nation bloc "deeply deplores" Mahathir's words, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.

"The prime minister used expressions that were gravely offensive, very strongly anti-Semitic and ... strongly counter to principles of tolerance, dialogue and understanding between the Western world and the Islamic world," Frattini said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard called Mahathir's comments offensive and repugnant.

"Any suggestion from anybody anywhere in the world of dividing the world into Jewish and non-Jewish groupings is historically indefensible and wrong," Howard told Australia Radio.

Leaders at the summit included Karzai, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines were special guests because of their large Muslim minorities.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGASQT52WLD.html


For those who say that this dude is a lone wack job who's off his rocker, Yeah, you're probably right....The Prime Minister of Malaysia, hosting the 57-nation Islamic summit in no way reflects the opinions of those gathered there. The cheers and standing ovation were just a way for those at the summit to express themselves right?

[Trauma-san]

No big surprise here.  He shouldn't have apologized, if that's how he feels, he shouldn't be ashamed of it or try and take it back.  

[AWS SS 88]

why should he apologize for telling the truth?

[JTSimon]

why should he apologize for telling the truth?

 

[JTSimon]

The speech drew immediate criticism from Israel and other countries and raised fears that it could fan violence against Jews. But it got a standing ovation from the kings, presidents, sheiks max marlins and emirs - including key U.S. allies - gathered in Malaysia's capital, Putrajaya.

Oh wow  

[UnstoppableForce]

No big surprise here.  He shouldn't have apologized, if that's how he feels, he shouldn't be ashamed of it or try and take it back.  

The same goes for Bush taking back his statement about these wars being crusades.

[Trauma-san]

LOL you guys, when you grow up, will look back, and realize how incredibly stupid you were in your younger days.  Trust me on it.  Bush said 'crusades' as a slip of the tongue, it had no christian implications.  This guy clearly doesn't like jews, and was saying it to rousing cheers, then cancels what he said later.  He should just leave it be, that's obviously how he feels.

[UnstoppableForce]

LOL you guys, when you grow up, will look back, and realize how incredibly stupid you were in your younger days.  Trust me on it.  Bush said 'crusades' as a slip of the tongue, it had no christian implications.  This guy clearly doesn't like jews, and was saying it to rousing cheers, then cancels what he said later.  He should just leave it be, that's obviously how he feels.

Yes, and it slipped out of the General's tongue also

[Trauma-san]

Are you that fucking stupid?  GOOD FUCKING GOD.


If there was a "crusade" going on in the traditional sense of the word, we'd just NUKE the whoel fucking middle east! Grow the fuck up! Are you so fucking stupid you can't understand that the united states bows to nobody, and could eradicate whoever the fuck they wanted, if that was their goal? Damn, the ignorance is so fucking amazing on here.

[UnstoppableForce]

Talk about stupid. The reaaon people were mad over Bush's comment was not because of the belief that he'd blow up the whole Middle East... it was because he made it seem like it was a war between Christianity and Islam...

Yes, the U.S. could eradicate anyone... but what significance does that have in today's world... you think Russia, China, India, Israel, and other countries don't have the military power to do that.... THEY DO... the only difference is they have moral standards and we don't...

[Woodrow]

It's confirmed. You are a brainwashed young man.

You claim that China has better "moral standards' that the US? Take a look at China's record of human rights abuses.

Look at the war the Russians waged on Afghanistan.

I'm flabberghasted at how stupid the comments you made just were.

Anything you say from here on out holds no weight whatsoever. You've just confirmed your ignorance on world events and history.

[UnstoppableForce]

First off, I just gave a quick list of countries with a great deal of power, but there are numerous other countries who can "eradicate" countries. Even Pakistan nowadays has the ability to do so. My point is that RIGHT NOW, in the present, you don't see MOST of these countries doing that.

[Lincoln]

It's confirmed. You are a brainwashed young man.

The most ironic thing I've seen or read since "Commercial Free Radio".

[Woodrow]

It's confirmed. You are a brainwashed young man.

The most ironic thing I've seen or read since "Commercial Free Radio".

Here comes the confused Canadian...

Listen you little fake: you aren't a black panther, you routinely get shut down for talking about shit you don't know squat about, and I'm pretty sure you aren't over the age of 18. I know puberty is a confusing time, but please, do the world a favor and take your adolescent anger/confusion and put it into something positive. Listening to Paris and idol worshiping extremists is way to spend your youth. I know Canada is pretty cold but why not spend some time outside? Tobogganing sounds pretty fun as do snowboarding and or skiing. Trust me, you'll be much happier in the long run. Right now, you just look like an ass, and trust me, nobody likes an ass.

[AWS SS 88]

^^ lololol


hey lincoln,maybe you can answer this for me. what are dead prez trying to "get free" from?