Posted on 10/20/2003 9:44:07 PM PDT by yonif
AFP - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad renewed his attack on "arrogant" Jews, saying reaction to his recent controversial comments confirms "they do control the world".
The veteran leader, who retires later this month, also criticised Western media, who he said took his comments at last week's summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Malaysia out of context.
"In my speech I condemned all violence, even the suicide bombings, and I told all Muslims it's about time we stopped all these things and paused to think and do something that is much more productive," he told the Bangkok Post.
"That was the whole tone of my speech, but they picked up one sentence where I said that the Jews control the world.
"Well, the reaction of the world shows they control the world."
The comments attracted a volley of international criticism, led by US President George W Bush, who pulled Mahathir aside at the APEC summit to denounce his "wrong and divisive" charge.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon slammed the remarks as "slanderous".
However, Mahathir was unrepentant and launched a fresh broadside on Tuesday.
"Israel is a small country. There are not many Jews in the world," he said in the interview.
"But they are so arrogant that they defy the whole world. Even if the United Nations say no, they go ahead. Why? Because they have the backing of all these people."
Mahathir is stepping down later this month after more than two decades in power.
the infowarrior
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