PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, October 17 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A remark on Jews at the opening of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit landed Mahathir Mohammad in troubled waters, prompting OIC members to issues strong statements in defense of the retiring Malaysia’s premier who is now the chairman of the pan-Muslim organization.

Speaking at a press conference Friday, October 17, after the close of the summit, Mahathir denied being anti-Semitic, asserting he was merely stating historical facts.

The veteran Southeast Asian leader asserted it was "grossly unfair" that Muslims could be criticized by others but could not speak against the Jews, reported Agance France-Presse (AFP).

"It is a manifestation of bias towards Muslims that you cannot criticize the Jews without being called anti-Semitic," he told reporters.

"While it is proper to criticize Muslims and Arabs, it is not proper to criticize Europeans and Jews. Apparently they think they are a privileged people but we don't think so. If you criticize us, we have a right to criticize them."

In a speech Thursday, Mahathir told the OIC summit that "Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule this world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them."

"Because of pogroms in Europe during the World War 2, the Muslims allowed the Jews to migrate in their countries because the Muslims are tolerant," he said.

The Malaysian premier regretted that his key message to stop all violence, suicide bombings and massive retaliation in the Middle East was not highlighted.

Mahathir, 77, said the sentiments he expressed were shared by most Muslim countries but they were unable to speak their minds because they feared being victimized.

He was other officials at the OIC conference, who said the comments were taken out of context in a speech which had called for the Muslim world to overcome its weaknesses.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said Mahathir was just "talking about issues confronting the Muslim world and what Muslims should do. Muslims must educate themselves, must begin to be progressive to develop themselves.

"His historical analysis of what happened in Islam is very correct."

Pakistani President Parvez Musharraf said although the speech expressed Mahathir's thoughts "he certainly did not declare war on the Jews."

He praised Mahathir as a great leader who had definitive views on certain matters close to his heart.

Echoing similar position, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said he did not think much attention should be paid to the "clamor and accusations".

"Those who are commenting on the speech have not read it in its entirety," Maher said.

"Nobody felt it was inflammatory. We thought it was a very very wise assessment. It was addressed to the Muslims, it was an appeal for them to wake up."

Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qurbi said he agreed "100 percent."

"The prime minister outlined a very important issue that the Israelis and the Jews control most of the economy and the media in the world," he said.

"Therefore we face that challenge of how we can as a Muslim ummah act to counter such Zionist abilities by building our capabilities, both economically and in the media form."

"He is not anti-Jew. He said what is happening because we (Muslims) have been oppressed. The advice was for Muslims," Mahathir’s Deputy Ahmad Badawi told reporters Friday.

Controversial Mahathir, who has always been targeted by his opponents for his open criticism of their ways and attitudes, has never been friendly in his remarks towards the Jews world-wide, always accusing them of the worst doings against Muslims.

His statement on Thursday was, however, misplaced according to many experts and journalists as well as observers from both the Islamic and non-Islamic world, said IslamOnline.net correspondent.

"Though he did not make any anti-Semitic statements, his comments have obviously offended the Jews and their supporters, which are natural. One may even say that the Jews are good yet they will still work against you," Mohammad Isa Selamat, an Indonesian writer and political observer, told IOL.

Any, an observer from France who has followed the OIC meetings since the inception of the organization, said Mahathir was legitimately expressing his thoughts and that he was not anti-Semitic.

"However, he would have done better to re-phrase it, polish it a bit rather than being blunt," he remarked.

The sentiment among reporters following up the OIC summit was that Mahathir is being made to look guilty and malign for his anti-Jewish statements.

The entire Malaysian contingency at the conference center has rallied behind their leader, whom they say was right in his statements.

American, European and Israeli officials were quick to label the Malaysian premier an anti-Semitic over his remarks.

U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli condemned the remarks, noting "it's not the first time we've seen comments like this from that official.

"Let's be clear, the remarks are offensive, they are inflammatory, and we view them with the contempt and derision they deserve."

Israel Friday condemned the speech as "anti-Semitic".

"Israel reacts with disgust to these anti-Semitic remarks", an Israeli foreign ministry official said.