Malaysia vs. Israel
Mr. Anwar has come under attack for his friendships with Jews before, and he has defended those links. So it’s disappointing to see him jump on the anti-Israel populist bandwagon now.
Wall Street Journal
Nations from France to Brazil have leaped to condemn Israel for lawfully defending its security by raiding a terrorist-backed flotilla heading for Gaza, but at least there are dissident political voices in those countries. Not so in Malaysia.
Over the past week, Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim have, if anything, competed to denounce the Middle Eastern democracy. Mr. Najib didn’t even wait to find out the facts before calling for the “whole world” to “condemn” the “cruel regime.” Mr. Anwar dubbed Israel’s raid a “brutal act” and organized a protest in which the crowd burned Israeli flags and posters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Monday, parliament unanimously passed a motion condemning the “excessive force” used against the “humanitarian aid ship.”
Never mind that the more we find out about the flotilla, the less innocent it seems. An Istanbul-based Islamic “charity” with ties to terrorist groups purchased three of the six boats and sent activists to staff them. The flotilla ignored repeated warnings from Israeli authorities. When commandos landed on the ships, they were greeted with clubs and knives. There were 12 Malaysians on those ships.
Malaysia’s political class has a long history of stoking anti-Semitism, so from that perspective Mr. Najib’s remarks aren’t a surprise. His political mentor, Mahathir Mohamed, was fond of Jewish conspiracy theories and labeled Israel a “terrorist state.” The ruling United Malays National Organization’s youth wing has carried on these traditions, with its leader last week calling on protestors to “go to Gaza to defeat the Israeli regime” if authorities stopped another “aid” ship.
Less understandable are the actions of the opposition coalition led by Mr. Anwar, which pitches itself as a new kind of secular political movement that bridges ethnic and religious differences. Mr. Anwar has come under attack for his friendships with Jews before, and he has defended those links. So it’s disappointing to see him jump on the anti-Israel populist bandwagon now.
Whatever their calculations, Malaysia’s politicians tarnish their nation’s image when they engage in jingoistic rhetoric and pander to radical Islamists. Ordinary Malaysians deserve better.
