Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/antisemi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/antisemi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/antisemi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/antisemi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39
In BBC interview, Mahathir Mohamad holds to old ‘antisemitic’ views - CFCA | The Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism

In BBC interview, Mahathir Mohamad holds to old ‘antisemitic’ views


Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/antisemi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/elementor-pro/modules/dynamic-tags/tags/post-featured-image.php on line 39

Kuala Lumpur – Dr Mahathir Mohamad today stood by his strong criticism of Israel during his recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly, saying he was giving a “truthful” assessment of the Middle East problem.

“If you are going to be truthful, the problem in the Middle East began with the creation of the state of Israel, that is the whole truth,” the prime minister, who is on a working visit to Britain, told BBC’s Hardtalk programme today.

He also brushed aside comments by the Israeli media calling him an anti-Semite, saying the term was frequently used against critics of Israeli policies.

“There are many races in this world, I have said nasty things about them but they never accused me of being anti- this or anti- that.

“But the Israelis are special, you cannot even mention that in the Holocaust it was not six million (Jews who died),” he told host Zeinab Badawi.

Mahathir was also asked about criticism in the Israeli media, which quoted his 1970 book “The Malay Dilemma” in which he had described the Jews as “hook-nosed”.

“These kinds of things are not acceptable, are they, prime minister?” Badawi asked him.

To this Mahathir said: “Well, lots of people say nasty things about us, ‘Malays lazy’ and all kinds of things. That is an opinion and I gave them my opinion on things.”

Bedawi: But why say hook-nosed and good with money, it’s not necessary is it?
Mahathir: They are hook-nosed.
Bedawi: I’m sure that many people would find that very offensive.
Mahathir: Many people call the Malays flat-nosed. We did not object. We did not go to war for that.

Subscribe to website

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new items

you might also be interested in:

Report to us

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident of antisemitism, extremism, bias, bigotry or hate, please report it using our incident form below:

Subscribe to website

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new items