The government said today it was up to the United Nations and Lebanon, and not Israel, to decide if Malaysian soldiers would be a part of a UN-controlled peacekeeping force in the troubled region.

"Malaysia has offered, it is up to UN, it is up to Lebanon," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said, after returning from a trip to Lebanon and Syria.

He said Malaysia has offered between 850 and 1,000 troops which form a complete mechanised battalion for the planned 15,000-strong expanded UN force in Lebanon (Unifil).

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Wednesday said that countries Israel considers its "enemies" would not be acceptable to serve in Unifil.

Malaysia and Indonesia have said they were willing to provide troops, but neither has diplomatic relations with Israel.

Israel's objection 'irrelevant'

Syed Hamid said Israel's disapproval of certain countries joining the UN peacekeeping force was irrelevant.

"I agree with him if it is within the territory of Israel... (but) people who want to participate will be in Lebanese territory," Syed Hamid said. "It's important, we're not going into Israeli territory."

He said Lebanese ministers he had met with welcomed the participation of Malaysia and other Muslim nations and preferred "an even distribution of Unifil forces from various countries."

The UN wants to have 3,500 troops on the ground within 10 days and an eventual force of some 15,000 to police a fragile UN-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel following a month of fighting.