KUALA LUMPUR: For as long as the big powers protect Israel’s Zionist regime, it will not be brought to justice for its brutality despite the victimised countries having diplomatic relations with Israel, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
IMPRESSIVE TECHNOLOGY: Dr Mahathir (right) visits the International Exhibition and Conference on Instrumentation, Control and Automation Technology (ICA) and International Exhibition on Laboratory Instrumentation, Equipment, Automation and Services (M. LAB) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. — Bernama photo
“It doesn’t work. A lot of countries have diplomatic relations with Israel but it’s meaningless. Israel can commit crime but because it is protected by the strongest power in the world, you can’t take the Israelis to court.”
Dr Mahathir said this to reporters after opening the 10th International Exhibition on Laboratory Instrumentation, Equipment, Automation and Services at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.
He was asked whether the time had come for Malaysia to have diplomatic relations with Israel to enable the rogue country to be brought to the International Criminal Court if acts of brutality had been committed against Malaysian citizens. Dr Mahathir said the atrocities committed by Israel was a reality and had nothing to do with diplomatic relations.
“I think we will have to wait another 50 years when the power of the West will be balanced by the East, then probably we will get some attention paid to the injustices committed by Israel,” be said.
On May 31, nine humanitarian activists were killed and several others injured and detained, including 12 Malaysians, when Israeli forces attacked the Gaza-bound MV Mavi Marmara in international waters.
Mavi Marmara was part of a flotilla carrying 700 volunteers from 50 countries and humanitarian aid like medicines, food and stationery for the people of Gaza.
Last Friday, the Israelis also seized another humanitarian aid ship, MV Rachel Corrie which was sponsored by the Perdana Global Peace Organisation, of which Dr Mahathir is the chairman. Among the volunteers on board the ship were six Malaysians.
However, they were all released on Saturday. — Bernama