FORMER Klang MP Charles Santiago has sharply criticised the US’ role in global peace efforts, arguing that the country lacks the moral authority to mediate conflicts due to its foreign policy being heavily influenced by the Jewish lobby.
Santiago accused the US of consistently prioritising Israel’s interests, claiming that US presidents are held “ransom” by the lobby in exchange for political support.
Santiago’s remarks were in response to US Ambassador Edgard D. Kagan’s recent interview titled “Arms Supply and Peace: US Ambassador Discusses the West Asia Conflict,” in which Kagan noted Israel’s security.
“US has no moral standing to broker peace anywhere. Its foreign policy is run by the Jewish lobby that has held US presidents ransom in exchange for political support. The US has always done Israel’s bidding, and so, what ‘shared values’ are you hallucinating about Kagan?,” Santiago wrote on X.
Santiago condemned Kagan’s stance, questioning how the US could discuss peace while Israel’s military actions continue to result in civilian casualties, including women and children. He suggested that financial influence from the Jewish lobby outweighs the destruction and deaths caused by Israel’s military operations.
“Maybe the Jewish lobby money speaks a more powerful language than the destruction and deaths,” Santiago remarked, highlighting the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
He pointed out that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory has been inherently violent, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) identifying it as a threat to international peace and security.
Santiago further criticised the US for its repeated use of veto power to block resolutions critical of Israel in the United Nations Security Council, noting that the US has done so 45 times as of December 2023.
He labelled Kagan as “just another propaganda artist” for the US government, questioning whether Kagan would deny Israel’s targeting of schools and hospitals and its violations of humanitarian law.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan advised foreign diplomats in the country to exercise caution when making statements related to the Palestinian issue.
He warned that such comments could affect the sentiments of Malaysians, who strongly oppose what they perceive as genocide in Palestine.
Mohamad emphasised that while foreign diplomats represent their countries’ opinions, they must be mindful of Malaysia’s strong stance against the ongoing violence in the region. – Sept 1, 2024
Main photo credit: The Star
