Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today criticised the government's offer to send 1,000 peacekeeping troops to Lebanon, saying it would only help "rescue Israel".

Malaysia said last week it was expecting the United Nations to accept its offer of troops after Israel initially discouraged the participation of nations with which it does not have diplomatic relations.

"The Americans hope that through the United Nations, Hezbollah will be stopped from further violence. Because of that the UN agreed to send troops to southern Lebanon to control Hezbollah," Mahathir told reporters.

"America is the one who made it possible for Israel to attack Lebanon and destroyed the cities there with weapons supplied by them," he said.

"We are helping to rescue Israel by sending our troops to clamp down on Hezbollah's activities," Mahathir said, while questioning the country's foreign policy.

"Is it our foreign policy to help America, Israel? Is it to help Britain and Australia or is it like before, where we stand for the truth," he said.

Mahathir, 81, is engaged in a bitter dispute with his successor Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who he accused of pandering to US ambitions in the region.

Malaysia has urged the UN to allow its troops to join the force and has argued it has a role to play as a member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the world's biggest Muslim grouping which it currently chairs.

Fellow OIC member Indonesia has received the green light to send 1,000 soldiers, while Qatar has pledged up to 300 troops.

Malaysia strongly criticised Israel during its military offensive in Lebanon.