Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) today disagreed with opposition coalition partner PAS over its support for Palestinian suicide bombers and stressed that the indiscriminate killing of civilians must be condemned.

In a joint press statement, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Dr Syed Husin Ali said that, while the party "understood" the many actions taken against the Israeli military, it does not agree that suicide bombings should be carried out on civilians.

"Keadilan has on several occasions condemned all forms of lethal attacks, including suicide bombings, by any group that inflicts death and suffering on innocent people. We wish to reiterate the same uncompromising stand," they said.

The two leaders also strongly condemned state terrorism, which they said was being carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians in their occupied homeland.

"We cannot understand why certain groups and individuals are so quick to condemn Palestinian suicide bombings, but are reluctant to express likewise against Israeli state terrorism," they said, while stressing that this does not amount to condoning suicide bombings.

"Surely they know that Israeli military might have caused greater untold deaths, injuries and destruction on innocent Palestinians too."

Controversial support

Last week, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party supported the Palestinian militant movement Hamas, which has been held responsible for suicide bombings in Israel.

He said Israeli aggression towards the Palestinians justified such hardline retaliatory strikes and added that suicide bombings were accepted in Islam if these save thousands of other lives.

The PAS leader stressed that the Muslim-based party - which is Keadilan's ally in Barisan Alternatif - supported jihad (holy war) as well.

However, Abdul Hadi claimed that its support for Hamas and jihad did not mean that PAS was a radical party.

His comments evoked a barrage of criticism from both sides of the political divide. Among the critics were Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP chief Lim Kit Siang, who asked the PAS leader to retract the statement.

Peaceful solution

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah and Syed Husin also objected to Israel's intention to "eliminate" Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as it would result in further carnage.

"We call upon the United States, the European powers and the Non-Aligned Movement headed by Dr Mahathir to exercise more positive efforts to stop the war in Palestine and ensure a peaceful solution to their conflicts," they added.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict had in recent days taken a turn for the worse following the dual bombing in west Jerusalem and Tel Aviv last week which left at least 14 dead and scores injured.

In retaliation, Israel's security cabinet voted to "expel" Yasser Arafat, not discounting assassination as an option.

The proposed action by the Israelis has since been opposed by the US, China, Russia and Arab states.