Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts 

    KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia called on the United Nations (UN) to convene a special general assembly to find a resolution to the Israeli atrocities against Palestine, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Monday.

    The UN special general assembly could be held on the premise of "unity for peace", Badawi said when addressing the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister's Department in Putrajaya, the administrative center of Malaysia.

    Malaysia's permanent representative to the UN had been instructed to initiate discussions with contact groups of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to get the UN to convene the special general assembly, he said.

    "The world must firmly express itself and demand a resolution of the issue," he said.

    Only a special general assembly could negate any improper action of the United States, Badawi said.

    Israel launched air strikes in the Gaza Strip a week ago and caused up to 500 casualties, many of them are believed to be civilians.

    The proposed special general assembly would allow for the arguments and decisions of all governments to be heard and considered, Badawi said.

    "I hope the United States and its allies will not impede efforts to convene the special general assembly," he said.

    The United States should have used its influence to effect a ceasefire but it had not bothered to do so and had instead allowed Israel to commit the atrocities against the Palestinians, he accused..

    Malaysia strongly condemned the Israeli action, Badawi said, adding that it could not be accepted, especially at this time of a world economic crisis.        

Int'l community calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

     UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council convened a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and representatives of various countries calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians.

     "There must be an immediate ceasefire that is fully respected by all parties," Ban said at the meeting. Full story

Israel rejects calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says goodbye to Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris,Jan.1,2009. Livni repeats her government's rejection of a ceasefire with militants in the Gaza Strip while speaking to reporters after the meeting. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Photo Gallery>>>

     PARIS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni rejected here on Thursday calls for an immediate ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

     After meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Livni said: "There is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and therefore there is no need for a humanitarian truce," rejecting French proposal for a 48-hour truce to allow humanitarian aid in Gaza. Full story