Malaysia to call for severance of ties with Israel at OIC meeting

Malaysia will propose at the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Saturday that countries severe political and economical ties with Israel in a bid to stop Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

Malaysian news agency "BERNAMA" quoted foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying the move could pressure Israel to stop its actions that went beyond the norms of international law and humanity.

"If no pressure is applied, Israel will stick to its arrogant stand that there is no power that can stop its actions against the Palestinians," he told a press conference Tuesday.

Syed Hamid will attend the OIC meeting in Doha, Qatar, called after for after the escalating spiral of violence at the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and Israeli bombings against Palestinian civilians.

Syed Hamid said the best way to deal with the Israel-Palestine problem was by resuming the peace process. And the United States, as the sponsor of the peace process, should stop Israel from continuing with its attacks.

"We hope that Islamic countries will be able to use whatever influence and pressure that we have to stop the violence that is being continuously committed," he added.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) on Wednesday condemned the excessive and indiscriminate Israeli bombings against Palestinian civilians and dwelling places. "We support the Malaysian government's call for the creation of a UN peace-keeping force to guard against renewed bloodshed in this troubled spot in the Middle-East," Abim president Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman said in a statement.