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Foreign Affairs - Human Rights and International Health - Anti-Semitism
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res. 409, which condemns the appalling anti-Semitic remarks made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir during his keynote address at the recent Islamic Summit Conference. Sadly,
Dr. Mahathir's remarks were only a culmination of years of bitter
anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric that have been hallmarks of
his political career. Only months ago, he handed out the Protocols
of the Elders of Zion during his political party's annual meeting.
When the Asian financial crisis caused the collapse of the Malaysian
currency, Dr. Mahathir often used Jews as scapegoats for political
and economic setbacks claiming that they were the result of a Jewish
conspiracy. In a 1986 speech he stated that "the expulsion
of Jews from the Holy Land 2,000 years ago and the Nazi oppression
of Jews have taught them nothing. If anything at all, it has transformed
the Jews into the very monsters that they condemn."
While
Dr. Mahathir's outrageous comments have caused fury in the past,
the reaction to this speech by the leaders of the Islamic world
dangerously signals the mainstream acceptance of his hateful and
extremist views. In the days following the conference Dr. Mahathir's
remarks were glorified in the Saudi newspaper Ar-Riyadh, deemed
"brilliant" by the supposedly moderate President Mohammad
Khatami of Iran, affirmed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, admired
by the Foreign Minister of Egypt, and defended by the Foreign Minister
of Yemen.
Just as troubling as this effusive praise was the silence that followed from the leaders of most Western European nations. These countries have seen first-hand an alarming rise of anti-Semitic attacks because of the explosion of anti-Semitic hatred and intolerance in European Muslim communities. They lived through the Holocaust and World War II and should know they must not repeat the mistake again of silence and/or participation in anti-Semitism. While Dr. Mahathir's reign is thankfully coming to an end, the international community must recognize the pervasive growth of anti-Semitic and anti-Western literature, television shows, and political platforms in Arab and Muslim countries and take action. If not, the world will suffer the consequences for generations to come. |
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