The UK government has agreed to participate in a public dialogue on the current crisis in the Middle East to be organised by Umno Youth in three weeks time.

Umno Youth international and NGO relations bureau chairperson Mukhriz Mahathir said the UK and US governments were given seven days to respond to the invitation via a letter last week.

"This invitation reflects Umno Youth's staunch position that the atrocities and violation of human rights in Lebanon and Palestine perpetrated by Israel must cease and control be returned to the government of Lebanon.

"The public dialogue calls for the UK and US governments to defend their support of the Israeli invasion which thus far has dragged on for more than a month, mostly killing civilians, including women and children," he said in a statement yesterday.

Meanwhile, the US government via their embassy in Kuala Lumpur responded by inviting a delegation from Umno Youth to attend a meeting with the US ambassador to Malaysia to discuss the issue.

"No firm commitment as to their (US) acceptance to the invitation was made. We hope the US government too will agree to participate in this dialogue," said Mukhriz.

Unique opportunity

Mukhriz, who is the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said the event will give Malaysians in general dan Umno Youth in particular, a unique opportunity to voice their anguish and disgust on the current human rights violations in Palestine and Lebanon.

"We also wish to state firmly that we are equally disgusted with the continuous excuses given by the US and UK governments in supporting the Israeli invasion into Lebanon," he added.

He said the US government vetoed a resolution drafted by Arab nations calling for Israel to immediately end a two-week military incursion into Gaza on July 13, 2006.

"On July 17, British Prime Minister Tony Blair ignored Lebanon's proposal for a cease fire at the UN security council.

"The latest draft resolution co-sponsored by the US and French Ambassadors to the UN for cease fire in Lebanon was lopsided and blatantly in favour of the Israelis invaders.

"As we speak, the US government continues to supply satellite and laser guided bombs to the Israeli regime which are being deployed on Lebanese civilian targets," he said.

To date, more than 100,00 homes in Lebanon have been destroyed by Israeli missile attacks with more than 1,000 Lebanese civilians killed. More than a million people are now displaced and seeking refuge all over Northern Lebanon and at the Lebanon-Syria border.