Turkish PM admonishes Israel president over Gaza

DAVOS, — Turkey's prime minister stalked off the stage at the World Economic Forum red-faced yesterday after reproaching Israel's president over the Gaza offensive by saying "You kill people."

The packed audience, which included President Barack Obama's close adviser Valerie Jarrett, appeared stunned as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli President Shimon Peres raised their voices and traded accusations.

Peres was passionate in his defence of Israel's three-week offensive against Hamas militants, launched in reaction to eight years of rocket fire aimed at Israeli territory. As he spoke, Peres often turned towards Erdogan, who in his remarks had criticised the Israeli blockade of Gaza, saying it was an "open air prison, isolated from the rest of the world" and referred to the Palestinian death toll of about 1,300, more than half of those civilians. Thirteen Israelis also died.

"Why did they fire rockets? There was no siege against Gaza," Peres said, his voice rising in emotion. "Why did they fight us, what did they want? There was never a day of starvation in Gaza."

The heated debate with Israel and Turkey at the centre was significant because of the key role Turkey has played as a moderator between Israel and Syria. Erdogan appeared to express a sense of disappointment when he recounted how he had met with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert days before the offensive, and believed they were close to reaching terms for a face-to-face meeting with Syrian leaders.

Obama's new Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, will be in Turkey for talks on Sunday.

Erdogan was angry when a panel moderator cut off his remarks in response to an impassioned monologue by Peres defending Israel's offensive against the Hamas rulers of Gaza.

"I find it very sad that people applaud what you said," Erdogan said. "You killed people. And I think that it is very wrong."

The angry exchange followed an hour-long debate at the forum attended by world leaders in Davos. Erdogan tried to rebut Peres as the discussion was ending, asking the moderator, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, to let him speak once more.

"Only a minute," Ignatius replied.

"Mr Peres, you are older than me. Your voice is too loud," Erdogan told Peres, saying his emotion belied a guilty conscience.

"You kill people," Erdogan told the 85-year-old Israeli leader. "I remember the children who died on beaches. I remember two former prime ministers who said they felt very happy when they were able to enter Palestine on tanks."

When Erdogan was asked to stop, he angrily stalked off, leaving fellow panellists UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon and Arab League Secretary Amr Moussa.

"When it comes to killing, you know it too well," the Turkish leader said.

When the moderator tried to cut short Erdogan's remarks, saying it was past time to adjourn for dinner, he answered in frustration, "Don't interrupt me. You are not allowing me to speak."

He then said: "I will not come to Davos again."

Ultimately, Erdogan stressed he left not because of a dispute with Peres but because he was not given time to respond to the Israeli leader's remarks. Erdogan also complained that Peres had 25 minutes while he was only given 12 minutes.

"I did not target at all in any way the Israeli people, President Peres, or the Jewish people," Erdogan told a news conference afterwards.

"I am a prime minister, a leader who has specifically expressly stated that anti-Semitism is a crime against humanity," he said.

Peres and Erdogan raised their voices — highly unusual at the elite gathering of corporate and world leaders, which is usually marked by polite dialogue.

Moussa, a former Egyptian foreign minister, said Erdogan's action was understandable.

"Mr Erdogan said what he wanted to say and then he left. That's all. He was right." Of Israel, he said, "they don't listen."

Erdogan brushed past reporters outside the hall. His wife appeared upset. "All Peres said was a lie. It was unacceptable," she said, eyes glistening.

"I have known Shimon Peres for many years and I also know Erdogan. I have never seen Shimon Peres so passionate as he was today. I think he felt Israel was being attacked by so many in the international community. He felt isolated," said former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik.

"I was very sad that Erdogan left. This was an expression of how difficult this situation is."

Earlier yesterday, Israeli election front-runner Benjamin Netanyahu told another session that keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran's hands was more important than the economy because the financial meltdown is reversible.

"What is not reversible is the acquisition of nuclear weapons by a fanatic radical regime ... We have never had, since the dawn of the nuclear age, nuclear weapons in the hands of such a fanatical regime," said Netanyahu, who is seeking to return to the Israeli prime minister's office.

Iran maintains that it is seeking nuclear power for peaceful purposes and not for a weapons programme.

An Iranian official in Davos appeared to extend a hand to the Obama administration as discussion broadened to include Iran, oil and what might be expected from the new leaders in Washington.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tehran would take a "cooperative approach" with the US as long as it saw changes that go beyond words.

"We do believe that if the new administration of the United States, as Mr Obama says, is going to change its policies not in saying but practice, they will find in the region a cooperative approach and reaction," Mottaki said.

Obama has stressed the importance of engaging Iran, a country the Bush administration often singled out as the most dangerous in the Middle East. — AP

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Anwar - UMNO act like Israel - Malaysiakini

KUALA TERENGGANU - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim drew parallels tonight between the conflict in Gaza and what he called the sufferings of Malaysians as he hit the campaign trail at a mammoth rally attended by thousands here.

Attempting to touch a sensitive chord among the mainly Muslim constituency here, he accused Umno, the main party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, of acting like Israel.

"The leadership is busy collecting wealth. While Israel is punishing the Palestinian people for choosing Hamas, it is no different from Umno punishing Malaysians for choosing the Pakatan Rakyat," he told a ceramah here on the first day of campaigning for the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

Datuk Nik Aziz speaking at the ceramah.

Thousands of local residents had gathered to listen to a star-studded Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rally here where besides Anwar, the DAP's Lim Kit Siang and Pas president Hadi Awang were also among the top draws.

The flag-waving crowd cheered loudly during Anwar's speech, punctuated with shouts of "Allahu Akbar", which translates as "God is Great," the standard clarion cry of the Pas faithful.

With a majority of Malaysia's Muslims backing the Palestinian cause, Israel's ongoing invasion of Gaza is having a major impact on domestic politics.

Political leaders from either side of the divide have been busy burnishing their Islamic credentials, and Anwar's attack against Umno tonight will likely put BN on the defensive in the days to come.

People listening to the speakers at the Pas ceramah at Pantai Tanjung.

The Kuala Terengganu by-election sees a three-way fight between BN's Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Salleh, Abdul Wahid Endut of Pas and independent Azharuddin Mamat.

Setting the tone for the campaign, Anwar told the huge flag waving crowd gathered at a beach behind the Astaka shopping centre here that the problem with Umno was that it was corrupt and ignored the suffering of ordinary Malaysians.

Sticking to his Gaza theme, he said: "Umno, like Israel, does not recognise the chosen Hamas leadership."

The Opposition Leader also spoke on the Hudud issue, and blamed "Umno and its controlled media" for fanning religious and racial hatred.

This listener finds something hilarious at the ceramah.

(TheMalaysianinsider)

Pas vice-president Husam Musa's recent remarks that his party would want to introduce Hudud, the strict Islamic code which prescribes amputation, stonning and whipping as punishment for criminal offences, had touched off criticisms from non-Muslim groups, including PR partners DAP.

While the Hudud issue has caused uneasiness in other parts of the country, it has little traction in the east coast states, where a huge majority of the population, are conservative Muslims.

Still, with a tight race anticipated, both the BN and PR campaigns are mindful of the need to secure the Chinese vote, which represents around 11 per cent of voters here.

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Malaysia government backs Israel - Anwar

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accused the government of supporting the pro-Israel lobby in the US and Jewish groups inside Israel.

"I have evidence proving that the government is backing the Jewish lobby in the US and some parties inside Israel," Anwar told IslamOnline.net in an exclusive interview.

Anwar, a former deputy premier who is contesting a by-election as the next step in his plan to become premier, declined to elaborate on the nature of the support or his evidence.

Malaysia, a Muslim Asian giant, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

After the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 following decades of military occupation, it denied reports the move would change its position on relations with Israel.

"Tel Aviv has yet to fulfil certain conditions," Foreign Ministry parliamentary secretary Ahmad Shabery Cheek said at the time.

"Therefore there is no reason why Malaysia should review its current stand."

Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who retired in 2003 after 22 years in power, had angered Israel just before his retirement when he said that Jews rule the world by proxy, getting others to fight and die for them.

Anwar again refuted charges of sodomy made by Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a 23-year-old former aide.

"These accusations are nothing but propaganda and mere fabrication," he told IOL.

Anwar was accused of sodomy in court this month, but the charge indicated the alleged sex act was consensual.

Mohamad Saiful said last Friday that the alleged sex act was not consensual, and that it "happened by force, without my permission."

He was photographed last week at a city mosque, swearing on the Quran that he was telling the truth.

Anwar insists the charges have been engineered by the government to prevent him from seizing power after landmark March elections.

"They are a bid by the government to ... stumble my bid to lead the country."

Anwar led a three-party opposition alliance to astonishing victories in the March general election, seizing control over five of Malaysia's 13 states and a third of the parliament seats.

Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

If convicted, Anwar will be handed down a 20-year jail sentence which will end his political ambitions.

The sodomy charge against Anwar, who had served in various portfolios before becoming deputy premier in 1993, is the second in a decade.

He was found guilty of sodomy in 2000 and sentenced nine years in prison but released after four after the highest court overturned his conviction.

Anwar ridiculed accusations of being a US "lackey".

"These accusations are nothing but propaganda to tarnish the opponents' reputation."

He said he has been a vocal opponent of the US-led war on Iraq and its so-called war on terror.

"But this does not mean I would engage in a war against the US."

The opposition leader also took a swipe at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's flagship Islam Hadhari project.

"There is only one Islam," Anwar said.

"Claiming that there is Islam Hadhari means that there is a 'bad' Islam."

Islam Hadhari is the brainchild of Abdullah, who maintains it is derived from the core principles and teachings of Islam.

It aims to present the civilised image of Islam as a faith that caters for all social, political and economic needs of the human beings.

"Action speaks louder than words," Anwar said.

"How can we propagate this project at a time we are plagued by corruption, poor education and a crumbling economic system." — The Palestine Chronicle

Excerpt from http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/7961-anwar-malaysia-government-backs-israel

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