The Gaza Massacre Cannot Be Forgotten for Centuries: Mahathir Mohamad

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has stated that the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel may never be forgotten, even over centuries. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he said that this brutality will remain permanently etched in world history.

The interview marked Mahathir’s 100th birthday, during which he discussed Malaysia’s economy, domestic politics, and global affairs, with particular concern about the Gaza situation.

He stated: “The cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people in Gaza will be engraved in world history. Nearly 66,000 Palestinians have fallen victim to killings that will be remembered for generations, perhaps for centuries.”

Mahathir elaborated on the harrowing nature of the conflict: “The situation in Gaza is horrifying. Pregnant mothers have been killed. Newborns, youth, boys and girls, men and women, the sick and the poor are being murdered… How can this ever be forgotten? Perhaps not even for centuries.”

He compared the Gaza massacre to the early 1990s genocide against Muslims in Bosnia and the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany during World War II.

“I thought the people of Israel, who were victims of genocide, would never commit genocide themselves. But in this case, I was wrong. Those who suffer such atrocities would not wish it upon others. Yet, it has happened. The same thing that happened to them is now happening to the Palestinian Arabs.”

During his tenure in the 1980s and 1990s, Mahathir earned a reputation on the world stage as a forthright voice for the Global South. He was an active critic of Western imperialism and the exploitation of developing countries through global finance and capitalism.

Mahathir has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinian rights, which, alongside his critical statements against Western powers—particularly the United States—have drawn controversy, including accusations of being “anti-Jewish.”

He clarified his stance: “When the horrors of the Nazis were revealed after World War II, I developed deep sympathy for the Jewish people.”

Mahathir concluded with a stern warning: “The Israelis have learned nothing from their past experiences. What happened to them is now being inflicted upon the Arabs.”