M'SIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER LIKENS ISRAELI REGIME TO SERIAL TERRORISTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- The atrocities inflicted by the Israeli
regime on the Palestinians in Gaza are similar to acts by serial terrorists
that need to be condemned and put to an end immediately, Deputy Prime Minister
Najib Razak said.

He said if the acts were not stopped the world, particularly the weak and
small countries, would not have a future because they were being oppressed by
the big powers through aggression and war.

"If such threats are not condemned in the highest degree and put to an end,
peace and sovereignty of a country in this world can no longer be guaranteed,"
he said when seconding the motion to condemn the Israeli offensive in Gaza
tabled by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the special Parliament session
Monday.

Najib said the Israeli regime's conduct and actions such as ignoring
criticisms by the international community and world bodies like the United
Nations (UN), were acts of serial terrorists in its true sense.

He said Israel wantonly invaded and occupied new borders in Palestine and
this was proven with the expansion of its regions by 30 percent from its
original size in 1948.

He said the Israeli Armed Forces also could not be separated from the
tactics of Zionist terrorist organisations like Stern and Irgun in the 1940s
which used violence and inflicted arbitrary punishments.

This included the bombing of Shabra and Shatila refugee camps in southern
Lebanon in 1982 which killed over 2,000 innocent Palestinian refugees, he said.

Najib said the Israeli bombing of Gaza since Dec 27 last year was a
collective penalty targeted at the innocent public through the justification of
an inhumane war.

He said Israel's law of the jungle continued to be rampant because of the
support from the United States (US) which has an influence in the UN Security
Council.

He said the super power also constantly tried to block any resolutions to
end the Palestinian crisis and this was proven by the US using its veto 28 times
since the last 36 years.

In fact, the US and its allies also ignored world criticisms by attacking
Iraq on March 20, 2003 and at the same time walking out on the UN Security
Council without any final decisions with regard to the conflict.

Najib said the world would continue to suffer misfortune due to the
inability of the UN and other world bodies to function properly.

"There is no longer rule of law because people who created the slogan
violated it," he said.

He said any parties, organisations or countries which collaborated with the
Zionist Israel regime, should be strongly condemned and be brought to
justice.

"But remember that this does not mean we are against all Jews. We still
respect them especially those who believe in and love peace," he said.

He also urged all Malaysians to offer any form of aid to the victims in
Palestine and pray for a quick end to the conflict.
-- BERNAMA