The government condemned the latest Israeli military operations in the Gaza strip and urged Israel to return to the proposed roadmap for peace in the Middle East.

In a statement, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the incursions in Gaza "clearly violate international humanitarian law, particularly the obligation not to carry out demolitions of homes contrary to that law."

He welcomed the United Nations Security Council move to adopt a resolution condemning the killing of Palestinian civilians in Rafah.

"Israel must cease all acts of violence and adhere to its legal obligations. Israel must return to the roadmap for peace in the Middle East, cease all unilateral actions and commit itself to engage in peaceful negotiations," Abdullah said.

"Israel must do its part to restore calm to the region."

Malaysia is currently chairman of the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the world's biggest grouping of Muslim states, and the 117-member grouping of the mostly developing Non-Aligned Movementnations.

It recently hosted an emergency meeting of the OIC and NAM to discuss the Middle East situation and Iraq.

At least 40 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli army launched a raid early Tuesday dubbed "Operation Rainbow" in the Rafah camp and aimed at stopping arms smuggling from Egypt through cross-border tunnels. - AFP