They don't know hatred...but they won't even talk to Israel...

Malaysia sometimes just infuriates me.

Malaysia's foreign minister has rejected an Israeli official's call for dialogue between the two countries, a news report said Saturday.

Israel's ambassador to Singapore, Ilan Ben-Dov, on Friday sought a dialogue with Malaysia and Indonesia to address what he referred to as a "culture of hatred" against the Jewish state in the two mostly Muslim Southeast Asian countries.

Ben-Dov also said he wanted to explain Israel's position on the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar rejected the idea, saying there will be no talks with Israel because of its "violation of legal and humanitarian principles" in Palestinian territories and Lebanon, the Utusan Malaysia newspaper reported.

Malaysia's stand has nothing to do with any hatred toward Israel, Syed Hamid was quoted as saying.

"Our refusal to have a dialogue (with Israel) is not connected with the issue of race or religion as we come from a peaceful and stable region and we don't know hatred," he was quoted as saying.

Of course, Mahathir used to be President of Malaysia and he would always rail against the Jews.