'Trump can build a wall, we can ban Israelis,' says Malaysia PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday defended his country's ban on Israeli athletes, likening it to American President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the US border with Mexico

Malaysia infuriated Israel after saying it would not allow Israeli swimmers to compete in a tournament later this year that serves as a qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

"Every country has the right to accept or refuse entry of anybody," Mahathir told a press conference in Vienna on Tuesday.

"You can see that in America now they are erecting a very high wall to prevent Mexicans from going to America," he said.

"We have the same idea, that people who are undesirable for our country will be kept out of our country," Mahathir added.

Last week, Israel blasted Malaysia's decision, saying it was motivated by Mahathir's "rabid anti-Semitism".

The 93-year-old, who is serving a second stint as prime minister, has been an outspoken critic of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinian people. He has in the past attracted criticism for verbal attacks on Jews.

"It is my right to tell them they have been doing a lot of wrong things. Why can't we say anything against Israel, against the Jews?" Mahathir said in response to recent accusations of anti-semitism.

On Tuesday Mahathir branded Israel "a criminal country", adding: "If their people want to compete in sport, they can go to some other country."

He said the Israeli athletes hailed from a country which operates outside international rules, including building settlements in territories not its own.

"They have raided our ship carrying aid to the Gaza people, there are many other things done by Israel that are against international laws and against morality," he told reporters.

Israel has called on the International Paralympic Committee to challenge the decision or change the venue of the competition.

Kuala Lumpur, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, has rejected pleas from the world sporting body to find a solution to the row.

Malaysia has stopped Israeli athletes from competing in a sports event before. Two Israeli windsurfers had to pull out of a competition on Langkawi island after they were refused visas in 2015.