Malaysia's retiring Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday compared Europe's past ill-treatment of Jews to the way Israel treats today Palestinians.
Mahathir, who steps down Friday after 22 years in power, has created global controversy two weeks ago by comments alleging Jewish world dominance.
At a news conference after he tendered his resignation as leader of Malaysia's ruling party, Mahathir was asked if he had a parting message for Jews.
"They must never claim they are the chosen people, who cannot be criticized at all," Mahathir replied, according to The AP.
"We sympathize with them, we were very sad to see how the Jews were so ill treated by the Europeans," Mahathir said. "The Muslims have never ill-treated the Jews, but now they are behaving exactly in the way the Europeans behaved toward them against the Muslims."
Mahathir said the Arab - Israeli conflict was in essence a land dispute, not a religious one.
"They have taken land belonging to the Muslims," Mahathir said. "Suppose a part of Britain or a part of America was taken away and given to the Jews as Israel. Do you think the Americans are going to sit quietly and say `Welcome,' and all that? They won't."
"Why do you expect the Palestinians to accept being expelled from their own country ... (it being) given to the Jews," he said. "It is not religion at all, it is territorial." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
