Dr Mahathir proposes war crimes charge against Israel

Dr Mahathir proposes war crimes charge against Israel
Saturday January 10, 2009 - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The United Nations must be told to set up a war crimes tribunal against the Israeli government for its “primitive killing” of Palestinians, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister urged MPs set to attend a special Parliament sitting on Monday to discuss Israel’s attack in the Gaza Strip, to propose the setting up of such a tribunal at the Dewan Rakyat.
Dr Mahathir said Israel’s actions were primitive because it killed to solve problems.
“Having such a tribunal would be able to put fear in Israeli leaders,” he told reporters after receiving donations for Palestine war victims as chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Foundation To Criminalise War (KLFCW) at the Al-Bukhary Foundation Complex here yesterday.

Al-Bukhary Foundation vice-chairman Datuk Ismail Yusof contributed RM3.5mil and Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Tan Sri Musa Asa’ari presented a mock cheque for RM100,000 to KLFCW.

Earlier, in his speech at the compound of National Mosque here at the launch of a boycott on US products, Dr Mahathir said Malaysians could play a role in applying pressure on the superpower nation by refraining to buy its products and choosing to use other currencies instead of the US dollar in business transactions.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Muslim Women NGOs has urged women to boycott US-made products for women and children.
Present at the event were the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association secretary-general Datuk Dr Maamor Osman and Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is also Umno Youth exco member.

Mukhriz said Malaysians must unite to fight Israeli atrocities against Palestinians by not buying and stopping support for their business or their associates’ products.

“If we think that we are helpless and cannot do anything just because we come from small nation, we are wrong.”
Gerakan also called for immediate criminal proceedings against Israel for its attacks on Gaza.
Its deputy chairman Datuk Chang Ko Youn said the Israeli action was an international crime leading to immense death and destruction.

“Their atrocities must be condemned and stopped immediately,” said Chang in a statement yesterday.