AUSTRIAN Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Malaysia’s decision to disallow Israeli swimmers to participate at the Paralympic swimming tournament was “unacceptable”, according to an Israeli media report.

Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, a spokesman for the Austrian government, said Kurz had expressed his views to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad when the two men met in Vienna yesterday during a working meeting at the Austrian Federal Chancellery.

“In the aftermath of the meeting, the chancellor told Austrian journalists that when it comes to Israel and anti-semitism, he and his counterpart are of ‘completely contrary opinions’ and that any form of anti-semitism in Malaysia and anywhere else is ‘unacceptable’,” Launsky-Tieffenthal said in an email to The Jerusalem Post.

“Chancellor Kurz has welcomed the prime minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for a working meeting at the Austrian Federal Chancellery.

“Besides discussing topics of bilateral nature, such as economic cooperation, Chancellor Kurz took the opportunity to bring up the issue of anti-semitism in Malaysia and the government’s stand towards Israel and the Jewish people,” Launsky-Tieffenthal’s email said.

He added that the chancellor conveyed to Dr Mahathir that “Austria is and remains without a doubt a ‘friend and partner of Israel’ and is committed to fight any form of anti-semitism wherever it may occur”.

Putrajaya has said that Israeli swimmers will not be allowed to compete in the World Para-Swimming Championships which will be held here in July. It is a qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had said that Malaysia’s stand was made based on its support of the Palestinian cause, and its long-standing commitment towards the restoration of Palestinians’ rights and freedom. – January 22, 2019.