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SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Australian treasurer said on Friday that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made history of anti-Jewish statements in a growing war of words over the possibility of Australia setting up an Israeli embassy in New York. Jerusalem.
FILE PHOTO: New Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses Deputy Josh Frydenberg at a news conference in Canberra, Australia on August 24, 2018. REUTERS / David Gray
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison proposed the Embassy's decision during a local election campaign last month, raising concern from Indonesia and Malaysia.
"The Malaysian Prime Minister is in shape," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in a radio interview. "He called the Jews crooked people. He questioned the number of people killed in the Holocaust. "
The comments were made after Mahathir had raised the issue of the embassy's move with Morrison at an ASEAN summit meeting Thursday in Singapore.
"I pointed out that to fight terrorism, you have to know the causes," Mahathir told reporters, Australian media reports said. "Add the cause of terrorism will not be useful."
About 60% of the Malaysian population is Muslim.
Indonesia also expressed concern about the Embassy's study and suggested that it might upset the proposed free trade agreement with Australia, although Mr. Morrison has stated that that these issues had not been confused during recent talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world, where tens of thousands protested against President Donald Trump's decision to transfer the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Morrison launched the idea of moving the Australian Embassy and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in October.
The sudden announcement took place just before a key by-election in a siege that had a large Jewish community, and Morrison's Liberal national government was eager to win to retain its majority in parliament.
In any case, the seat was lost, leaving the government to decide with the cooperation of independent legislators.
Speaking Friday, Morrison confirmed that Mahathir had raised the subject of the embassy but said that only "Australia determines Australia's foreign policy".
"I think what Josh said today is completing the history of his (Mahathir) record on various issues over time," Morrison told reporters at the press. a visit to Darwin, where he was scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"Do not go wrong, our policy will not be dictated by those from outside the country," added Morrison.
Australia and Malaysia have had sometimes difficult diplomatic relations. The two countries clashed 25 years ago when former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating called Mahathir "recalcitrant" for boycotting the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC).
Leaders from APEC countries are scheduled to meet in Papua New Guinea this weekend.
Wayne Cole story; Edited by Michael Perry
