Global General

Special

Newsmaker

Asia Pacific

America

Middle East

Europe

Africa

Malaysia seeks special UN session on Gaza conflict

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-05 16:24

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Muslim countries will seek a UN General Assembly special session to press for a halt to the escalating violence in Gaza, Malaysia's leader said Monday.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia's permanent representative to the UN will hold discussions with other officials in the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, or OIC, on how best to push for such a session.

"I hope the United States and its allies will not impede efforts to convene the special general assembly," Abdullah was quoted as saying by the national news agency, Bernama.

Foreign ministers from OIC countries issued a statement following a meeting in Saudi Arabia over the weekend saying all Muslim nations should cooperate with other UN members to call for a special General Assembly session titled "Uniting for Peace."

The United States late Saturday blocked approval of a UN Security Council statement calling for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and expressing serious concern at the escalation of violence, council diplomats said.

Israel sent troops and tanks into Gaza late Saturday after a weeklong aerial bombardment.

At least 512 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,500 injured since the air attacks began. One Israeli soldier was killed in the ground assault. Israel says it launched the offensive to stop rocket attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza, which have traumatized southern Israel and killed several people.

In a separate statement, Abdullah said Israel's ground offensive "is an act of total war which the international community should not tolerate."

Abdullah added that he has authorized $1 million of immediate humanitarian aid from the Malaysian government to be channeled through relief supplies for the Palestinians.