Tun Mahathir : Israel Is A Criminal State And Deserves To Be Condemned – Malaysia Is Not Anti-Jew Or Anti-Semitic

Bythecoverage

Posted on January 29, 2019

1. Malaysia does not recognise Israel; has no diplomatic relation with it, does not allow Malaysians to visit Israel and does not allow Israelis to visit Malaysia.

2. This is the only country in the world that Malaysia treats in this manner. Why?

3. In the first place Israel was created from a slice of Palestinian land, without a referendum or a plebiscite being held. The Palestinians were expelled from Palestine without any compensation for the land and homes seized by the Israelis.

4. Then Israel seized more Palestinian land so that Israel became bigger. The Israelis then built numerous settlements on Palestinian land without the consent of the Palestinian nation. Palestinians are barred from these settlements.

5. When the Palestinians resisted and threw stones at Israeli tanks and armoured cars, the Israeli soldiers fired live bullets at the Palestinian children and arrested many of them. The arrested people were detained for years without trial.

6. The detainees were used to exchange with Israeli soldiers captured by the Palestinians.

7. The Gaza strip is blockaded by Israeli forces. Relief ships carrying food, medicine and building materials were siezed in international waters and forced to go to Israel. In one incident 10 activists were killed. These acts by the Israelis is blatantly against international laws.

8. When the Palestinians fired futile rockets at Israel, the Israelis dropped bombs and fired missiles at Palestinian towns and villages. Schools and hospitals were destroyed, patients and children killed or maimed.

9. The blockade of Gaza is illegal but no country has condemned Israel for breaking international laws and moral codes.

10. Today Israel declares that Jerusalem is its capital. When Palestinian slapped Israelis soldiers, they were shot and killed and many were detained.

11. A high wall has been built to divide Palestinian villages and towns. Palestinians cannot visit relatives without being subjected to humiliating checks at many check-points created by the Israelis. The Palestinians are not allowed to travel on roads built by the Israelis on Palestinian land.

12. Thousands of Palestinian have been killed or wounded through Israeli military actions.

13. The whole world can see the injustice and the oppression of the Palestinian by the Israelis. But Israel is not even criticised by the people who talk so much about freedom from oppression and the rule of law. Israel seems to be privileged.

14. If anyone criticises Israel or the holocaust he is immediately labelled “anti-Semitic”. The implication is that he is inhuman or immoral. But the blatant inhumanity of Israel is not condemned.

15. Malaysia is not anti-Jew or anti-Semitic. The Arabs are also Semitic people. But we reserve the right to condemn inhuman and oppressive behaviour anywhere, by anyone. We have condemned the Myanmar people for their treatment of the Rohingyas. We have criticised many countries and people for inhuman acts.

16. Many people and many countries have condemned us. But we have not been labelled nor have we labelled people who speak as a matter of right in a free world.

17. Malaysia bans two Israeli athletes – the US bans citizens of five Islamic nations and plans to build a wall against South Americans. Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic ban refugees. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban referred to Syrian refugees as “Muslim invaders.”

18. Israel is a criminal state and deserves to be condemned. We know the strong backing for Israel. We cannot act against Israel beyond refusing to recognise it. We maintain we have a right to bar Israelis from our country. When the world condemns us for this we have a right to say that the world is being hypocritical. Their talk of human rights and the rule of law is so much empty words.

19. I appeal to those who sympathise with the Palestinian cause to voice their condemnation. Terrorism is not the answer. A proper strategy is needed to bring justice to the Palestinians.

Source : Chedet

https://thecoverage.my/news/tun-mahathir-israel-criminal-state-deserves-condemned-malaysia-not-anti-jew-anti-semitic/

Dogs aren’t illegal, you know

LAST month, a Muslim friend of mine received some extreme backlash in her Instagram feed for uploading a video of herself petting and feeding a stray dog. Her act of empathising with the dog was seen as immoral and in opposition to the rules of Islam.

LETTERS

Tue 25 Dec, 2018

I have to ask: Do the majority of Malaysian Muslims really think dogs are harmful?

Earlier this year, the Chinese community in Malaysia, in celebrating their New Year and the Year of the Dog, had to compromise in their festivities by not using any dog-related decorations in public in case it disrespected Muslims.

Selfish and intolerant. That is what I say to people who don’t respect the cultures and rights of other races.

I don’t mean to be racist, but there is always room for tolerance in areas that don’t affect any religion. So I am writing this letter for those who are sceptical about dogs.

Traditionally, Islam warns Muslims not to have contact with dogs. Unfortunately, many Muslims use this view to justify the abuse and neglect of dogs, even though animal cruelty is contradicting the Quran, which says all animal forms are communities like us humans.

Let me clarify one famed myth among Muslims regarding dogs: It is not wrong to own a dog. Mus-lims can actually touch dogs, too. If the saliva of a dog or any of its wet parts touches you or any part of your clothing, then you have to wash with sertu, an Islamic cleansing procedure. After that, you are considered clean.

Dogs have never actually been illegal. They are used globally to help humans in many ways. Pro-tecting homes, sniffing out drugs and bombs, and relieving stress are just some of the many reasons why dogs should be taken care of and should never suffer neglect or abuse.

Furthermore, it is incumbent upon all Muslims who own animals, including dogs, whether for farming or work purposes, to provide adequate shelter, food, water and veterinary care for their animals. Animal abuse is forbidden in Islam.

Each year, some animals are considered too “sensitive” to be used in public decor in Malaysia, supposedly to respect Muslim sensitivities.

Yet, while Muslims are banning dogs and pigs in public decorations, Hindus have to struggle during the season of Eid when Muslims slaughter cows – which they consider holy – in public.

Any religion’s beliefs should be respected but should never be used as license to assume and misjudge for the sake of our own priorities.

Remember when Auntie Anne’s pretzel dog had to be renamed pretzel sausage because some claimed the name would spark confusion among Malaysian Muslims? I believe we are actually better than such abnormal controversies.

Malaysia is a multiracial country. While Muslims are defending Islamic beliefs and rules, there are much bigger issues that need to be taken care of rather than focusing on making other religions, cultures and traditions taboo.

With more consideration and mutual understanding, we can live better, together.

SAIFUL AZWAN MOHD RAZIS

Sungai Petani, Kedah

https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2018/12/25/dogs-arent-illegal-you-know/