Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamed said the new US position on Israel’s settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory is an absurdity and encourages other nations to steal others’ lands.

Commenting on recent remarks by secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who announced that US president Donald Trump’s administration does not view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal, Mahathir described such position as ridiculous and a blatant disregard for international laws and UN resolutions.

“We are no longer safe. If a country wants to enter our country and build settlements, that is legal. We cannot do anything,” he said in a statement released by his office on Tuesday.

The Malaysian premier also expressed fears that the timing of the Trump administration’s announcement would further embolden the Israeli forces, who recently went on a vicious killing spree in Gaza.

“You announce that their illegal settlements are not illegal at a time when they are conducting these unjustified attacks on Gaza… Isn’t it like encouraging them to continue to murder the children and civilians, and that they will not be punished?

“Instead, they will be rewarded with setting up settlements on the land of the people they had killed and murdered,” the premier said.

Source: The Palestinian Information Center