[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9888-H9893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REPUDIATING ANTI-SEMITIC SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD,
OUTGOING PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 409) repudiating the recent anti-Semitic
sentiments expressed by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the outgoing prime
minister of Malaysia, which makes peace in the Middle East and around
the world more elusive.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 409
Whereas the outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr.
Mahathir Mohamad, has become notorious over the years for his
overt anti-Semitism and opposition to the State of Israel;
Whereas Dr. Mahathir opened the 57-nation, October 2003
summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in
Malaysia by characterizing Israel and Jews around the world
as ``the enemy'' who ``rule the world by proxy'';
Whereas incendiary rhetoric of this nature can be neither
excused nor rationalized;
Whereas Dr. Mahathir's anti-Semitic remarks are despicable
and could serve to incite further sectarian violence;
Whereas, among the 57 national representatives in
attendance, none raised their voice in protest and many
applauded Dr. Mahathir's statements; and
Whereas President George W. Bush traveled to Thailand to
attend the October 20-21, 2003, meeting in Bangkok of the
leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and
rebuked Dr. Mahathir for his ``wrong and divisive'' remarks:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) thoroughly repudiates the damaging rhetoric of the
outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad,
which embodies age-old stereotypes of Jewish global
domination and grotesque anti-Semitism on an international
scale;
(2) reaffirms the rebuke made by President George W. Bush
of Dr. Mahathir and his injurious sentiments on October 20,
2003, stating that the remarks ``stand squarely against what
I believe'';
(3) calls upon other governments and international bodies,
notably the European Union, to condemn these remarks as
dangerous incitement; and
(4) deplores the tacit acquiescence of those national
representatives in attendance at the October 2003
Organization of the Islamic Conference as willing complicity
in spreading a message of hate and incitement against Jews.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).
General Leave
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 409.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Iowa?
There was no objection.
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of a resolution repudiating
the recent anti-Semitic sentiments expressed by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad,
the outgoing Prime Minister of Malaysia.
At the outset, let me thank the majority whip, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Blunt), as well as the distinguished minority whip, the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for their introduction of this
thoroughly appropriate and timely resolution.
On October 16, Dr. Mahathir, the outgoing Prime Minister of Malaysia
gave an address before the summit of the Organization of Islamic
Countries in Kuala Lumpur which has drawn the condemnation of decent
citizens throughout the world. In a speech, the Prime Minister made the
widely reported comment, ``Today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They
get others to fight and die for them.''
Dr. Mahathir chose to repeat Jewish conspiracy theories of world
domination that first surfaced with the infamous anti-Semitic screed
published in Russia by the Tsar's secret police back in 1905 known as
``The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.''
While in the same speech the Prime Minister properly rejected
terrorism and urged Muslims to embrace modern knowledge and technology,
he nevertheless strongly implied that he viewed Islam and the West to
be in fundamental historical conflict. While the totality of the
remarks might have been intended to reflect some sort of ill-perceived
leadership balancing act, the fact that they were uttered,
premeditatively crafted, by a modern head of state, makes them
particularly irresponsible and reprehensible. They deserve the
strongest condemnation. Nothing can be more damaging to peace on this
fragile planet than to perpetrate the most invidious myths about any
ethnic or religious group. Particularly at this time when the Middle
East is a seething cauldron of tension, it is imperative that
thoughtful leaders underscore the need for understanding, rather than
foment thoughts that lead to conflict.
Madam Speaker, it is with the deepest regret and concern that I urge
passage of this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for House Resolution
409, repudiating the recent damaging rhetoric of the outgoing Prime
Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir.
Despite my steadfast and unequivocal support for this resolution, I
rise today with a heavy heart. I am heavy-hearted not because I
question the necessity of such a resolution, but because its necessity
exists at all. I am heavy-hearted because in the year 2003 overt
prejudice, racism and virulent anti-Semitism still exist. And I am
heavy-hearted because I must take to the floor of the United States
House of Representatives to condemn what should be an unfortunate relic
of our past. To the contrary, anti-Semitism seems to grow stronger with
every passing day. But I am not only heavy-hearted; I am outraged by
this.
Madam Speaker, there are problems to be solved, world-wide problems,
and
[[Page H9889]]
problems at home, homelessness, joblessness, poverty, famine, drought,
flood, disasters. There are people that need our help and challenges we
need to confront. But instead, today we take to the floor of the House
not to confront these problems, but to confront a moral outrage and an
affront to world civilization, overt racism and anti-Semitism on a
massive scale.
This past week, Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mohamad, opened a 57-
nation Summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference by
characterizing Israel and Jews as the enemy who rule the world by
proxy. He continued by calling worldwide Jewry an arrogant people who
forget to think and will continue to spread oppression and domination.
{time} 1730
Prime Minister Mohamad has made what amounts to a call for a global
war against the Jewish people and a holy war against the State of
Israel. This is incendiary rhetoric of the worst kind. It is
scapegoating, and it is racist, and it serves only as an incitement to
violence and death and destruction. Not only are the comments of this
nature dangerous and morally repugnant, they are beyond the pale of
civilized dialogue.
Nine decades ago, my grandparents walked across Europe to come to
this great country. They sought a better life for their family and a
better future for their children and their grandchildren. They came
with nothing more than the clothes on their back, fleeing prejudice and
hardship and oppression and, had they remained, almost certain death by
the hands of the Nazis.
It has been 90 years since my grandparents came to this great
country. In those 90 years, we have won two world wars, conquered the
evil of totalitarianism, and congratulated ourselves for a new era of
globalism and plurality in which we celebrate our differences and
embrace our diversity.
Americans believed that the rest of the world have been celebrating
with us. How wrong we have been. The senseless, mindless hatred and
prejudice that my grandparents experienced in Europe still exists
today. It exists in the burning of synagogues worldwide. It exists in
the attacks on Holocaust memorials in Europe, and it exists in remarks
made by a head of state at a conference, remarks that not one of the 57
nations in attendance, not one, raised a voice of protest over or left
the room in disapproval or disgust.
As world leaders and elected officials, we share a great
responsibility. We are looked to for wisdom and guidance. In times of
crisis, we are called upon to lead with fortitude and courage. In times
of sadness, we are called to lead with strength and conviction, and in
times of joy, we are called to lead with our hearts, but never, never
are we called to lead with hatred.
Words and actions by an elected leader have far-reaching
consequences. They have the power to make policy, and they have the
power to change hearts and minds. National leaders must set an example.
Not only are the unconscionable statements of the Prime Minister
damaging in their own right, and they are, they are damaging at this
critical time as the Palestinians and the people of Israel struggle to
form a lasting peace.
By inflaming tensions between the Islamic and the Jewish world with
hatred-filled bigotry, he has only helped to make an all-too-elusive
peace more difficult to achieve. Once again, he has attempted to
delegitimize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish State and demonize the
Jewish people.
I am pleased that we will be voting today to condemn the offensive
and damaging rhetoric of the Prime Minister. His words and the thoughts
behind them are inexcusable. I am also pleased that we will be
condemning the violence of other world leaders, silence that in the
past has been deadly to millions.
I call upon my colleagues to join us in taking this strong stand
against bigotry and intolerance, racism and anti-Semitism.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York
(Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Foreign
Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs.
Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her very
strong, important statement and for offering this resolution.
I join my colleagues in condemning the hate-filled speech given by
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the opening of the 10th Organization
of the Islamic Conference in Malaysia on October 16. Many of my
colleagues and I signed the letter that was sent to the Prime Minister
directly, and today, we pass this resolution to make clear that the
House of Representatives repudiates the Prime Minister's message of
hate and intolerance.
In my judgment, the Malaysian Prime Minister's speech was a failure
of leadership. At a conference focused on issues confronting Islamic
Nations around the world, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad missed the chance to set
a positive and constructive tone by talking about how more Islamic
Nations can achieve prosperity and development and what those
achievements would mean for the Islamic people around the world.
But, sadly, the Prime Minister did not take the opportunity to call
for better educational opportunities or greater investment in Islamic
countries or better trade, health care and economic development, all
essential elements when creating stability and prosperity. The Prime
Minister could have done such good, set an example, as Malaysia has
done before, by discussing the Arab Human Development Reports, which
place strong emphasis on increasing freedom, knowledge and women's
empowerment. The Prime Minister's speech should have been a call for
tremendous improvements in these areas. Instead, he gave a caustic,
intolerant, hateful statement against Jews and Israel. What a tragic,
missed opportunity. Following the negative sentiments of the Prime
Minister will lead to more years of poverty, oppression and hate.
I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge the
leaders of the world who support economic development and educational
opportunities as the best way to a secure future to make themselves
heard in opposition to the Prime Minister's speech.
Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our Democratic whip and an original
cosponsor of H. Res. 409.
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Nevada for
yielding me the time, and I congratulate her for her leadership on this
critically important issue. She is the principal author of this
resolution, and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and I are
pleased to join her in this important statement.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to associate myself with the very thoughtful
remarks of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) on this issue.
I rise to also thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), my
friend and counterpart on the Republican side of the aisle, the
majority whip, for working with us closely and ensuring that this
resolution, which is nothing less than a shared expression of our
American values, receives prompt consideration tonight.
Madam Speaker, intolerance based on one's religious belief, ethnicity
and race is a poison that has coursed throughout the body of human
history, and it has caused untold suffering, pain and strife. This
great Nation itself, Madam Speaker, was settled by people who fled
religious persecution, and I submit that we, the elected
Representatives of the strongest and freest Nation on earth and the
progeny of that proud legacy, have a moral responsibility to expose and
combat such intolerance and prejudice wherever and whenever it rears
its head.
On Thursday, October 16, as has been said, Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad made hateful and repugnant anti-Semitic remarks at the
Islamic Summit Conference, and those remarks deserve and demand our
condemnation in this resolution today.
Among other things, the Prime Minister stated, ``The Europeans killed
6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today, the Jews rule the world by
proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.''
He added that, ``They,'' referring to the Jews, ``have now gained
control of the most powerful countries, and they, this tiny community,
have become a world power.'' He urged Islamic Nations to unite against
being ``defeated
[[Page H9890]]
by a few million Jews.'' And throughout his remarks, he referred to
Jews as the enemy.
Madam Speaker, these anti-Semitic comments are not simply outrageous
and hateful, they are divisive and dangerous. They serve only to foment
the destructive lie preyed upon by Hitler and other anti-Semites
throughout history, the baseless accusation of a Jewish conspiracy to
control the world, to which the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach)
referred to earlier, and we, without question, must emphatically and
without reservation, and in the strongest possible terms we can summon,
reject these toxic untruths.
But let me add, Madam Speaker, that what is perhaps even more
disturbing, as the gentlewoman from Nevada has so correctly pointed
out, more disturbing than one man's malignant invective and his
ignorance of the Jewish people's persecution today and throughout
history, more disturbing is the fact that he received a standing
ovation from many of the leaders of Muslim Nations in attendance. Not
only as the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) pointed out did they
not walk out, they applauded. They applauded approval.
Madam Speaker, that must be unacceptable, not just in this land but
throughout the world. Agreeing with or acquiescing in such religious
and ethnic bigotry is every bit as dangerous as an incitement to it,
and neither the acquiescence nor the incitement can go unchallenged in
the civilized world.
As the British politician Edmund Burke wrote more than 200 years ago,
``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to
do nothing.'' We must not do that.
I thank the gentlewoman for her time.
Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for
those poignant remarks, and I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), the ranking member on the
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding
me the time.
I want to thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), my good
friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my good friend, as chief sponsors of this
legislation, and I also want to thank my colleague and good friend the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the chairman of our the Subcommittee
on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on International Relations.
Madam Speaker, I rise to lend my support to the provisions of H. Res.
409 to repudiate the comments made recently by Prime Minister Dr.
Mahathir Mohamad of the Republic of Malaysia. The prime minister's
speech was given on October 16, about 2 weeks ago, at a meeting of the
Organization of Islamic Nations. The conference was held in Malaysia
and was attended by heads of states and government leaders and other
political leaders from some 57 nations whose majority populations are
followers of Islam.
Madam Speaker, Prime Minister Mohamad claimed that his speech was
taken out of context. So I thought perhaps, in fairness to him, I would
read his speech in its entirety, which I did, but I thought perhaps we
also needed to examine the Prime Minister's prior statements, this very
issue of anti-Semitic, this hatred of the people who are of Jewish
ancestry. What I found out was a consistent pattern of anti-Semitic
statements.
There was a great article in the Boston Globe written recently by Mr.
Jeff Jacoby, who did some research on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's
utterances as a political leader of Malaysia. Thirty years ago, Prime
Minister Mohamad wrote, ``The Jews are not merely hook-nosed, but
understand money instinctively.'' The same Prime Minister, Madam
Speaker, described the Jewish people as monsters.
In 1994, this same Prime Minister issued a ban in Malaysia not to
show the movie Schindler's List because it showed too much favoritism
towards the Jewish people, and in 1997, the same Prime Minister also
accused an American businessman, an investor by the name of Mr. George
Soros, as the cause of Malaysia's economic instability and currency
collapse, specifically citing Mr. Soros as the ``Jew who triggered the
currency plunge'' and coincidentally citing that he is Jewish.
Madam Speaker, this is not the first time Prime Minister Mohamad has
made hateful and bigoted statements against the Jewish people. How
convenient it is for a Muslim political leader like Prime Minister
Mohamad to always blame the Jewish people for the failures of Muslim
political leaders to solve the many socioeconomic problems that
concurrently confront the needs of some 1.3 billion people who are
associated with Islam or the Muslim religion.
{time} 1745
Prime Minister Mahathir claims that the Jews rule this world by
proxy. I say, in response to such an outrageous statement by the Prime
Minister, the contributions over the years by those of the Jewish
ancestry have been truly a blessing to our world community. In the
fields of medicine, of law and of physics, literature, and social
sciences, I need only to mention the name of Dr. Jonas Salk, who
discovered the cure for the dreaded disease of polio, the names of Dr.
Albert Einstein, Dr. Teller, and Dr. Oppenheimer as the founding
fathers of modern nuclear physics and the theory of relativity.
Time will not allow me to elaborate further the many positive
contributions made for the benefit of mankind by those in the Jewish
community given generously to the world community. Suffice it to say to
political leaders like Prime Minister Mahathir, if it was your
intention to tell your fellow Muslims that the sacred writings
contained in the Koran have been misinterpreted by your own Muslim
scholars, and partly the reason why there is so much divisiveness among
your own adherers to Islam, then say so; but do not blame the Jewish
community for your own failures.
Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope as we contemplate the beginning of
this sacred month called Ramadan among the adherents of Islam as a
period of fasting and prayer and for greater patience and greater love
towards all mankind, which in my humble opinion is the essence and the
heart and soul of the religion of Islam as taught by the prophet
Mohammed some 400 years ago, I do not believe, Madam Speaker, that
Prime Minister Mahathir's statement reflects the real meaning and
teachings of Islam.
This resolution will announce to the world that this institution, the
Congress of the United States of America, will not tolerate and does
not support the Prime Minister's statement. And I also reflect upon
statements made earlier by my colleague, that I too remember what was
said by Martin Luther King, Jr., years ago: ``At the end, we will not
remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.''
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished
colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this
time, and I want to raise my voice in opposition to what Prime Minister
Mahathir said. He is a racist, a bigot, and an anti-Semite who
represents his country very poorly, a country which depends on
international trade.
Madam Speaker, let me read some of the names of Malaysian companies
who depend on U.S. trade. It is these companies whose livelihoods are
now threatened by the remarks of their own Prime Minister: Telekom
Malaysia, Maxis, Celcom, Digi, Time dotCom, Jaring, Celcom Berhad,
Mimos Berhad, and Proton, all of whose business in the United States is
now threatened by the remarks of the Malaysian Prime Minister.
If the Malaysian Prime Minister continues, he threatens Malaysian
jobs in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Seremban, Ioph and Kuching. It is
something that he should think very clearly about, understanding that
so many people in his country depend on trade with the United States.
We have been very disappointed by this speech and very disappointed
also by the reaction of one of our friends in the Middle East, Egypt,
and the comments of their foreign minister, who, when he read Prime
Minister Mahathir's statement, said, ``I saw nothing controversial in
the statement.''
[[Page H9891]]
Now, we are subjecting Malaysian exporters to a withering analysis,
and their dependence on the U.S. market is now in jeopardy. I would
hope that the Government of Egypt would think twice before that same
kind of analysis applies to their own exports. For us here, the message
should go forth to the Malaysian Government: Your exports are now at
risk, and jobs which depend on the U.S. market are in jeopardy.
Continue down this road, and you continue down a road of unemployment
for Malaysian jobs.
Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman
from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).
Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me
this time, and I rise in support of House Resolution 409. I too want to
associate myself with the remarks of my colleagues. We should speak out
against anti-Semitic and prejudice comments made by any leader of the
world, or anyone for that matter.
Just this past weekend, I met with the Jewish community of Guam and
shared with them my wonderful impressions of my recent visit to Israel.
Guam is located in the Asia-Pacific area, and I am very concerned,
Madam Speaker, with intolerance or any kind of racism in our region of
the world.
Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume, and before I yield time back to the majority to close, I would
like to thank the majority whip, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr.
Blunt), the minority whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), as
well as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Leach), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for helping to move this
legislation to the floor and helping to ensure its quick passage.
I am pleased this was handled in a bipartisan manner, and I thank my
colleagues from both sides of the aisle for their assistance. I also
want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) as well.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In conclusion, let me first thank the gentlewoman from Nevada for her
tremendous leadership on this issue. Second, let me, in a broad way,
stress that philosophically the three great monotheistic religions of
the world, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are each rooted in the Ten
Commandments. They embrace the Ten Commandments. And the Ten
Commandments, above anything else, outline how we should live together
in society; and they are doctrines of love and compassion, not hatred
and revenge.
One of the things we are all going to have to think through in all
societies is how we emphasize what brings us together and not what
tears us apart. Fundamentally, what is of deep concern to this body is
that a leader of a great Muslim country, a country with which we are
very close, a leader who is considered one of the most modern leaders
in the Muslim world, has uttered words that, from an American
perspective, seem out of context with the times, with good judgment,
and with decency.
What we have to emphasize to our friends, as well as to ourselves, is
that we are going to have to think through differences in the world in
such ways that we can reach compromise, based on a set of feelings that
bring us together. Unfortunately, these remarks seem to move in the
other direction.
It is extremely unusual--not unprecedented but virtually
unprecedented--that the Congress of the United States would deal with a
resolution about the words of a head of state of another democracy, a
country which we admire, yet we are obligated to do just that today
because we want to bring the world together.
So we say to Dr. Mahathir, we hope you repent and think through these
words. We also say that we are willing to listen to differences of
judgment, but we want to listen to differences of judgment that are
based on decency in values, not in intolerance of views. It is this
decency of values that we want to emphasize at this time.
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise with great concerns over this
legislation--both over its content and what it represents. First, I
think it is absurd that the U.S. Congress believes it has the
responsibility and authority to rectify the inappropriate statements of
individuals in foreign countries. Have we moved beyond meddling in the
internal affairs of foreign countries--as bad as that is--to even
meddling in the very thoughts and words of foreign leaders and
citizens? It is the obligation of the U.S. Congress to correct the
``wrong thoughts'' of others that have nothing to do with the United
States? Additionally, is it our place to demand that other sovereign
states, such as the members of the European Union, react as we say they
must to certain international events?
More troubling than what is stated in this legislation, however, is
the kind of thinking that this approach represents. The purpose of this
legislation is to punish inappropriate thoughts and speech--to free
debate on difficult topics and issues. In this, it contains a whiff of
totalitarian thinking. This legislation advances the disturbing idea
that condemnatory speech that does not explicitly incite violence is
nevertheless inherently dangerous. It asserts that even debating
controversial topics inevitably leads to violence. This is absurd on
its face: it is only debate that leads us to come to understandings
over controversial topics without violence. That is why nations engage
in diplomacy.
Those who feel aggrieved over an issue can either broach the issue
through discussion and debate or they can attempt to address the
grievance through the barrel of a gun. Which is preferable? I think the
answer is self-evident. Once persuasion is taken from the realm of
possibility, the only approach left to address grievances is violence.
Is the prime minister of Malaysia wrong in his statements? Debate
him. Invite him to one of the various multilateral gatherings with
someone who disagrees with him and have a debate and discussion over
the issue. This approach is much more likely to result in a peaceful
resolution of the dispute than what we are doing here: a blanket
condemnation and a notice that certain difficult issues are not subject
to any inappropriate thoughts or statements. This is chilling for a
nation that prides itself on its tradition of protecting even the most
distasteful of speech.
Dr. Mahathir has long been known for his statements on the Middle
East. His views are no secret. Yet even President Bush, who invited
Prime Minister Mahathir to Washington in May, 2003, chose the path of
debate over blanket condemnation. President Bush said at a joint press
conference that, ``we'll also talk about the Middle East, and I look
forward to hearing from the Prime Minister on the Middle East. So we'll
have a good discussion.'' Abandoning our beliefs and traditions--
especially those regarding the right to hold and express even abhorrent
thoughts and ideas--when it comes to our foreign relations is hardly
the best way to show the rest of the world the strength of our system
and way of life.
A careful reading of the prime minister's speech did not find any
explicit calls for violence. Actually, Dr. Mahathir called for Muslims
around the world to cease using violence to seek their goals. He
stated, ``is there no other way than to ask our young people to blow
themselves up and kill people and invite the massacre of more of our
own people?'' Also, he advises against ``revenge'' attacks and urges
Muslims to ``win [the] hearts and minds'' of non-Muslims including
``Jews...who do not approve of what the Israelis are doing.'' While we
may agree or disagree with the cause that Dr. Mahathir espouses, the
fact that he calls for non-violent means to achieve his goals is to be
commended rather than condemned. This is not to agree with every aspect
of his address--and certainly not to agree with some of the ridiculous
statements contained therein--but rather to caution against the kind of
blanket condemnation that this legislation represents. Do we not also
agree with his words that Muslim violence in the Middle East has been
counterproductive? President Bush himself in May invited Dr. Mahathir
to the White House to, in the president's words, ``publicly thank the
Prime Minister for his strong support in the war against terror.''
I strongly believe that we need to get out of the business of
threatening people over what they think and say and instead trust that
our own principles, freedom and liberty, can win out in the marketplace
of ideas over bigotry and hate. When the possibility of persuasion is
abandoned, the only recourse for the aggrieved is violence. Haven't we
seen enough of this already?
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly condemn the hateful
anti-Semitic slurs made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad
in his October 16 address to the Organization of the Islamic
Conference.
In his address, Prime Minister Mohammad called Israel, and I quote,
``the enemy allied with the most powerful nations.'' He also said, and
again I quote, that ``the Jews rule the world by proxy'' and that ``the
Muslims will forever be oppressed and dominated by the Europeans and
the Jews.''
[[Page H9892]]
Madam Speaker, there is no place in international diplomacy for this
baseless and hateful rhetoric.
World leaders have a great responsibility to avoid the use of such
incendiary rhetoric that could incite further hatred or violence
against any racial or ethnic minority. This kind of hatred and
scapegoating, including the blaming of Jews for all the ills of the
Muslim world, has no place in civilized society, especially by elected
officials. Words and actions, especially at a conference such as this,
have far reaching consequences--they not only have the power to make
policy, they have the power to change hearts and minds. To blame Israel
and the Jewish people for problems and difficulties experienced by
other cultures is wrong and has led to senseless bloodshed and
violence, including the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime in the
1930s and 1940s.
These words are especially damaging at a crucial time when the
Palestinian people and Israel struggle to reach a lasting peace.
Actions that inflame tensions between the Islamic and Jewish worlds
serve only to make that struggle become complicated and the all-too-
elusive peace more difficult to achieve.
Mr. WAXMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 409,
which condemns the appalling anti-Semitic remarks made by Malaysian
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad 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.
Although 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.
Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this
resolution. The statements made by the Prime Minister of Malaysia are
shocking and show the anti-Semitism that exists around the world and is
unfortunately growing at a frightening rate. Even after nations from
around the world condemned his remarks, Dr. Mahatir continued to make
anti-Semetic statements claiming that our condemnations of his remarks
proved his statements to be true. That is just simply ridiculous.
Madam Speaker, his statements only poison the thoughts of people, and
incite hatred toward the Jewish people. While I would like to say that
his remarks were unusual or surprising, the fact of the matter is that
these sort of inflammatory remarks have become standard for the
Malaysian Prime Minister. It is truly disheartening that the tremendous
economic success of the Malaysian people is being overshadowed by the
outrageous comments of its Prime Minister. It is sad but fitting that
these forceful comments will be the most recent and strongest of
memories of Dr. Mahatir as he begins his retirement.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H. Res. 409, and to join my colleagues in repudiating Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad for his recent comments made to the Organization of the Islamic
Conference.
It is distressing to me that an individual such as Dr. Mohamad--often
portrayed as a moderate Muslim leader--would feel the need to issue
what I view as a call to arms to the Muslim world. In doing so, his
characterization of Jews as vast cabal that ``rules the world by
proxy'' serves no constructive purpose whatsoever. Rather, it merely
perpetuates hateful and destructive millennia-old sterotypes that have
long made Jewish people scapegoats for any number of societal ills.
I call upon my colleagues to join me in condemning the anti-Semitic
comments of Dr. Mohamad, and I echo the language of H. Res. 409 in
calling on the European Union to also repudiate these remarks. I thank
Mr. Blunt for his leadership in bringing this timely resolution to the
floor, and urge my fellow members to give it their full support.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H. Res. 409 that condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made by outgoing
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. As a Member who is
actively trying to support understanding between the Islamic world and
the West, I am disturbed by the Prime Minister's derogatory comments.
There can be no room for anti-Semitic or bigoted speech by any head of
state.
The Prime Minister's speech touting the idea that ``Jews rule the
world by proxy'' was inappropriate and deserves the reprimand of this
body. Such comments cannot be justified; they only serve to fulfill a
hateful myth about the Jewish people. Furthermore, his allusion to the
Holocaust and the 6 million Jews who died in Europe is deeply
disturbing. The fact that the Jewish people survived the horror of the
Holocaust should not be looked upon as proof of a global conspiracy,
but instead as a story of hope for people who have suffered through
oppression.
Prime Minister Mahatir's speech marked the opening of the 57-nation
Islamic Summit being held in Malaysia. Had he not made his anti-Semitic
remarks, many in this body would have considered his speech monumental.
I welcomed his call for Muslims to end the use of suicide bombing.
Furthermore, his comments that strict theological interpretations of
the Koran had tainted its message showed that he could be a progressive
leader. However, any progress made in his speech was crushed by this
blatantly anti-Jewish remarks. The Muslim world will not be able to
flourish if it holds the Jewish people responsible for all its ills.
The Islamic Summit provided an opportunity for Islamic nations to
condemn terrorism and open dialogue with the Jewish people; instead
Prime Minister Mahathir's speech only furthered ignorance.
The continued dissemination of anti-Semitic rhetoric by leaders of
Islamic nations can only weaken the chances for peace between the
Palestinians and the Israelis. Comments such as those made by Prime
Minister Mahathir taint the minds of both the Palestinians and
Israelis. We cannot hope to achieve peace when both sides are
continually made to believe they are mortal enemies. Nations such as
Malaysia should act as intermediary promoting dialogue and
understanding between both the Palestinians and Israelis. This is why
it is important that the new Malaysian government distance itself from
the comments made by the outgoing prime minister. In fact all Islamic
nations need to take this opportunity to condemn all forms of hatred
against the Jewish people.
I welcomed President Bush's condemnation of Prime Minister Mahathir's
remarks made at the Islamic Summit in Malaysia. However, President Bush
must also take this opportunity to censure and reassign Lieutenant
General William Boykin for the derogatory remarks he made against
Muslims. General Boykin's assertion that this war against terrorism is
a war between Christians and Muslims must not be allowed to stand. We
must condemn all forms of bigoted speech especially when they are made
by a high-ranking member of our military. President Bush must take this
action in part to demonstrate to people like Prime Minister Mahathir
that their skewed view of the United States is wrong.
It is due to my dismay over Prime Minister Mahathir's speech that I
recently signed on to a letter with a number of my colleagues asking
him to apologize for his anti-Semitic remarks. Unfortunately, he has
not apologized and in fact has defended his outrageous remarks. It is
due to this stance that this entire body must support H. Res. 409.
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 409.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further
[[Page H9893]]
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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