Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Anifah Aman berkata ketiga-tiga surat itu ialah bagi menyangkal dakwaan sesetengah pihak bahawa kerajaan Malaysia tidak konsisten dalam pendirian dan dasarnya berhubung Palestin.
Dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, beliau berkata surat berkenaan ialah;
- Surat daripada Dr Mahathir Mohamad kepada Yitzhak Rabin, Perdana Menteri Israel, bertarikh 21 Disember 1993;
- Surat daripada Dr. Mahathir Mohamad kepada Benjamin Netanyahu, Perdana Menteri Israel, bertarikh 14 Mac 1997; dan
- Surat daripada Dr Mahathir Mohamad kepada Ehud Barak, Perdana Menteri Israel, bertarikh 8 Jun 1999.
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DR MAHATHIR'S LETTER TO YITZHAK RABIN
PRIME MINISTER, MALAYSIA 21 December 1993
His Excellency Mr Yitzhak Rabin Prime Minister of Israel JERUSALEM
I would like to thank you for your letter of 17 October informing me
about the Agreement of Principles and Mutual Recognition between Israel
and the PLO.
My government supports this positive development
and views it as a first step towards the realization of a comprehensive
solution to the Middle East problem.
As a demonstration of
Malaysia's support to this development my country was represented at the
Donor's Conference to support The Middle East Peace held in Washington
and subsequently pledged a modest financial contribution to the
Palestinians to assist in their new tasks. My government has also
offered the Palestinians technical assistance under the Malaysian
Technical Cooperation Programme.
Malaysia as a matter of general
principle is prepared to develop relations with Israel at the
appropriate time. In the meantime, we would like to see tangible
progress in the implementation of the peace agreement.
The
Middle East problem particularly the Palestinian issue has been a cause
of instability to the region and I hope the recent agreement between
Israel and PLO would contribute to lasting peace to the area.
I look forward to normal relations with Israel. (this last sentence is hand written)
DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
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DR MAHATHIR'S LETTER TO BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
PRIME MINISTER MALAYSIA 14 March 1997
His Excellency Mr Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister of Israel JERUSALEM
Your Excellency,
Your letter dated January 23rd only reached me yesterday. I appreciate
very much your taking the trouble to inform me on the situation in
Palestine and the region.
Unfortunately much of what you have written has been overtaken by events.Malaysia believes in peace and in settlement of problems between
neighbours through negotiations. As a last resort, we turn to third
parties.
In disputes over territories between Malaysia and
Singapore and Malaysia and Indonesia we have agreed to get the World
Court to decide. Dispute between Malaysia and Thailand over
territorial waters was resolved by agreeing to share the non-marine
resources equally.
Within the country, disparities in wealth
distribution between the indigeneous people and those of immigrant
origins were resolved through affirmative action in which the have nots
would have a bigger share of a growing economic cake but there would be
no expropriation and redistribution of what already belonged to the
descendants of immigrants.
Everyone has very nearly a fair share
now and everyone is fairly satisfied. Relations between the different
races in Malaysia are good and not disruptive. The important
point I would like to stress is not to take what already belongs to
others even though historically they may be yours. Lately, Israel has
been pulling down Arab dwellings in order to erect houses for Israelis.
The whole world, including your ally, the United States condemns this. But Israel has gone ahead. You condemn Syria for making threats. But their threats are the
response to your own action. If you forcibly take over land and property
belonging to the Palestinians, the only response if they are not to
violently act against you, is to threaten to act against you.
If
they cannot retaliate and they cannot voice their intended retaliation,
than they would have to submit to all your action no matter how wrong.
What you are doing now is against the spirit and the letter of the peace
process agreed to by your predecessor.
How can we trust Israel
if a change in the government negates solemnly given undertakings by a
Government of Israel. Please reconsider your decision to build new
Jewish settlements on Arab land. The Israeli youths are here. Our
intention is to show them that Muslims are normal rational people who
want to live in peace and freedom. We hope that they will have a new
impression of Muslims and Islam. There will be aberrations among
Muslims but there are also aberrations among Jews and Christians and
people of every religion. No religion should be judged by these
aberrations.
We hope that the youths will understand Muslims
better and will want to be at peace with them. To have peace you have to
make sacrifices. The Palestinians no longer demand the elimination of
Israel. They are even prepared to share Jerusalem with you. They have
made sacrifices.
We should remember that when Jews were
persecuted in Europe, they had always found sanctuary among Muslims in
Muslim countries. We don't regard Israelis as eternal enemies. But we
cannot help but sympathise with the Palestinians because their land is
being taken away from them now.
It may have belonged to Jews
three thousand years ago. A lot of traditional Malay land have been made
part of Thailand. But we are not claiming Southern Thailand as part of
Malaysia. If we go too far into the past we cannot live with our
neighbours.
We are ready to have economic and technological
cooperation with Israel but we cannot do so yet because you have not
honoured commitments made by a legitimate Government of Israel.
We would like to think that once we have established relations with you, it would be permanent.
DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
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DR MAHATHIR'S LETTER TO EHUD BARAK
PRIME MINISTER. MALAYSIA 8 June 1999
His Excellency Mr Ehud Barak Prime Minister Elect of Israel TEL AVIV
Your Excellency,
May I extend my congratulations on your victory in the recent
elections. With this impressive mandate, I hope that you and your
coalition partners will be able to guide the destiny of the people of
Israel at the threshold of a new Century.
I would like to take
this opportunity to reiterate that Malaysia has always sought peace and
the settlement of problems between neighbours through negotiations. It
is therefore our hope to see the mutual implementation of the agreements
signed between the PLO and Israel.
We also believe that if the peace process is to be salvaged, sincere and effective steps must be taken to honour commitments.
As an important partner in the peace process it is crucial for Israel
to be more accommodating. The Palestinians have made major sacrifices.
They no longer demand the elimination of Israel. They are even
prepared to share Jerusalem with you. It is therefore timely that Israel
respond positively so as to sustain the hopes of the people in both
Palestine and Israel.
Solemn commitments made by a previous
Goverment must be honoured. The alternative I am afraid, would be a
permanent state of conflict and regional instability extending into the
next Century. This is certainly a prospect that must be avoided.
The crux of the problem is that no party should revert to the old ways
of taking what belongs to others, on the one hand and instigating hatred
and violence, on the other. Malaysia cannot countenance
aggression by anyone, whether friend or foe. Any country that forcibly
takes over land and properties of others, or demolishes dwellings
belonging to others in order to set up its own settlements cannot be
said to be sincere in wanting peace.
Malaysia is of the firm
conviction that the security of all countries in West Asia can only be
assured with the establishment of a just, lasting, and comprehensive
peace in the region. This must be based on the principle of "exchange of
land for peace" and the establishment of an independent Palestinian
state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The world looks
forward to Israel under your leadership, to push forward the peace
process with true determination. It is my sincere hope that the
attainment of a comprehensive settlement in the region would allow
Malaysia to realistically envisage a positive move towards the
establishment of normal relations with Israel.
Yours sincerely,
DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
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Setelah membacanya Saya faham bahawa surat-surat tersebut adalah bersifat mengingatkan pihak Israel agar sentiasa menghormati keputusan rundingan damai yang sudah dipersetujui oleh pihak mereka pada Perjanjian Damai Oslo.
Sekurang-kurangnya dalam surat-surat tersebut tiada langsung ayat seperti ini - "I support all efforts to protect the security of the State of Israel "
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