After 'deal of the century', Dr M advises Trump to 'resign'
Amid US President Donald Trump's ongoing bid to seek re-election in the November presidential polls, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today kept up Malaysia's criticisms of the global super power's backing of the Israeli cause.
Directly asked for his advice to Trump in light of the US-backed peace plan which has been largely rejected by Palestine and its allies, Mahathir said, "Resign."
"I wish the Americans would have made a better decision....
Amid US President Donald Trump's ongoing bid to seek re-election in the US' November presidential polls, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today kept up Malaysia's criticisms of the global superpower's backing of Israeli over the Palestinian cause.
Directly asked for his advice to Trump in light of the latest US-backed peace plan which has been largely rejected by Palestine and its allies, Mahathir said, "Resign."
"I wish the Americans would have made a better decision.
"Here is a man who denigrated his role and his policies, trying to use foreign pressure to win elections," Mahathir said in reference to US backing of Israel in the ongoing struggle by Palestinians to seek recognition of their own land.
"That is acceptable in America, it is not acceptable here. Any foreigners trying to influence the result of elections here, we will take action against them," stressed Mahathir.
He earlier delivered a speech at the opening ceremony for the "Third Conference of the League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds" in the capital today.
Al-Quds refers to a city in Jerusalem - a land considered holy to all three major Abrahamic religions - claimed by both Israel and Palestine as their capital.
The League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds is a coalition of members of parliaments around the world in support of the Palestinian cause. It was founded in 2015 with 125 members from 25 countries and grew to 700 supporting MPs from 70 countries in 2018.
Commenting further, Mahathir said where previously countries had waged wars against Israel and lost, a well-planned strategy to win the hearts and minds of the world is now needed in order to bring justice for the Palestinians.
"Just opposing (Israel) is not enough. To win this, we need to have a strategy to win the hearts and minds of the people.
"What the powerful are doing right now is legalising the illegal. This is an act of a bully [...] just because you have the strength you bully the powerless, but we in Malaysia and other parts of the world, we will uphold the rule of law," said Mahathir.
He further likened Israel's stance against Palestinians to the historical oppression of Jews by Germany's Adolf Hitler.
Mahathir said Israel had learnt a lot from Hitler despite the catastrophes it endured in World War II.
"They learned a lot from Nazi Germany [...] not the right lessons but the wrong lessons," said Mahathir who alluded to Israel's occupation of land claimed by the Palestinians.
The League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds is represented by its president Sheikh Hamid Abdullah Al-Ahmar at the conference. The two-day meet is organised by the Malaysian Parliament and supported by various local groups.
Among Malaysian lawmakers involved in organising the conference include Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Others present today included Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and de facto religious affairs minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
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