The Honorable John F. Kerry, Chairman
The Honorable Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member
Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar:
On behalf of B’nai B’rith International’s more than 200,000 members and supporters, we write to express our deep concern about the flagrantly anti-Semitic pronouncements of Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
Ibrahim, who spent several years living in Washington, D.C. cultivating a pro-Western image, has nonetheless used his position in the Malaysian parliament as a platform for spreading anti-Semitic propaganda. His frequent criticisms of the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak are infused with anti-Jewish and anti-Israel slanders, such as his April 30 assertion that Israeli spies are “directly involved in the running of the government.” On another occasion he alleged the presence of “Israeli intelligence personnel in the Police IT unit.”
Ibrahim also has said in parliament that the “Jewish-controlled” public relations firm hired by the Prime Minister was attempting to manipulate Malaysia to support U.S. policies. In the run-up to Malaysia’s 2008 elections, he said in an interview with IslamOnline, “I have evidence proving that the government is backing the Jewish lobby in the U.S. and some parties inside Israel.”
In light of the role that Ibrahim has played in the resurgence of anti-Semitic polemics in Malaysian politics, we ask that U.S. officials suspend their ties with Anwar Ibrahim. A purveyor of anti-Jewish hatred such as Ibrahim should not enjoy the measure of legitimacy that a positive relationship with the United States would confer upon him.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation. We look forward to remaining in communication with you about this matter in the near future.
Respectfully,
| Dennis W. Glick | Daniel S. Mariaschin |
| President | Executive Vice President |
