PUTRAJAYA: The attack on a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) vehicle, in which the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) was directly impacted, is utterly unacceptable, Fahmi Fadzil said.
The government spokesman said Malaysia strongly condemned the assault by Israeli forces which resulted in injuries to six Malbatt personnel.
Fahmi said the attack on Malbatt, a crucial component of Unifil, has sparked grave concern as it affects Malaysia’s peacekeeping troops in the region.
“The government unequivocally condemns the brutal actions of the Israeli Zionist regime, which are utterly unacceptable,” Fahmi told the media.
He said the Cabinet, at its weekly meeting yesterday also had discussed the incident.
He said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin would address additional measures to be taken.
The Malbatt members – five from Malbatt-12 and one from Malbatt-11 – were injured during an explosion near Saida Stadium in Lebanon, when they were en route to Marakah Camp from Beirut at 7.45pm Malaysian time on Thursday.
Malaysian Youth Council, which also condemned the incident, called on the government to act decisively against Israel.
“We also urge the UN to take the same approach against Israel which continues to attack UN peacekeeping positions in Lebanon,” its president Mohd Izzat Afifi Abdul Hamid said.
He said that the council fully supported the Prime Minister’s proposal to submit a motion to remove Israel as a UN member.
“The war crimes committed by Israel in the Middle East have exceeded the limits of humanity by violating many peace protocols and global justice.
“We stand firm with the Prime Minister in taking all policies on issues involving terrorist conflicts, especially involving Israel’s brutality towards the people of Lebanon and Palestine,” he said.
On Monday, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat that expelling Israel from the UN if it has violated international laws in its acts against Palestine is among possible suggestions to be put forward through the UN draft resolution, which Malaysia is involved in.
