KUALA LUMPUR, June 1, 2010 (AFP) – Some 400 Malaysians held a noisy protest outside the United States embassy Tuesday to condemn Israel's deadly raid on a flotilla carrying aid bound for Gaza.
The demonstrators, from political parties and civil society groups in the Muslim-majority nation, shouted "Death to Israel" and brandished posters saying "Stop the massacre" and "Zionists are murderers."
They called for a boycott of Israeli products and condemned close ties between Israel and the United States. Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.
"We are here to register our utter disgust at the barbaric attack on the flotilla," said Zulkifli Ahmad, a lawmaker with the conservative Islamic opposition party PAS.
"It is an attack on humanity. In the last 24 hours, Israel has shown total disregard to the rule of law," he told the angry crowd.
A lone demonstrator, who said he was a Palestinian, slashed himself with a box cutter to protest at the Israeli action which left at least nine activists dead.
Police quickly restrained the man who sustained several long wounds, handcuffed him and took him to hospital.....read more....
Prime Minister Najib Razak raised concern over the fate of 11 Malaysian volunteers and journalists on board the lead vessel which was raided while attempting to break an Israeli blockade on Gaza.
"I have asked (the foreign ministry) to strive to save our volunteers. We have difficulty getting information... there's no communication with the parties involved," Najib said according to state news agency Bernama.
Several more Malaysians were travelling on other vessels in the aid flotilla.
Israel has been widely criticised for the attack in international waters, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to Canada and the United States where he was due to meet President Barack Obama.
Malaysia also slammed the commando raid which it said was a "flagrant and serious breach of international law" and called on Israel to immediately lift the "inhumane" blockade.
"Malaysia demands Israel to immediately cease its excessive and inhumane treatment of the activists and calls for the immediate release of the innocent people and the ships," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The demonstrators, from political parties and civil society groups in the Muslim-majority nation, shouted "Death to Israel" and brandished posters saying "Stop the massacre" and "Zionists are murderers."
They called for a boycott of Israeli products and condemned close ties between Israel and the United States. Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.
"We are here to register our utter disgust at the barbaric attack on the flotilla," said Zulkifli Ahmad, a lawmaker with the conservative Islamic opposition party PAS.
"It is an attack on humanity. In the last 24 hours, Israel has shown total disregard to the rule of law," he told the angry crowd.
A lone demonstrator, who said he was a Palestinian, slashed himself with a box cutter to protest at the Israeli action which left at least nine activists dead.
Police quickly restrained the man who sustained several long wounds, handcuffed him and took him to hospital.....read more....
Prime Minister Najib Razak raised concern over the fate of 11 Malaysian volunteers and journalists on board the lead vessel which was raided while attempting to break an Israeli blockade on Gaza.
"I have asked (the foreign ministry) to strive to save our volunteers. We have difficulty getting information... there's no communication with the parties involved," Najib said according to state news agency Bernama.
Several more Malaysians were travelling on other vessels in the aid flotilla.
Israel has been widely criticised for the attack in international waters, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to Canada and the United States where he was due to meet President Barack Obama.
Malaysia also slammed the commando raid which it said was a "flagrant and serious breach of international law" and called on Israel to immediately lift the "inhumane" blockade.
"Malaysia demands Israel to immediately cease its excessive and inhumane treatment of the activists and calls for the immediate release of the innocent people and the ships," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
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