Putrajaya, May 13: The United Nations should deploy peacekeepers to prevent the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sliding into fully-fledged war, the chairman of the 117-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) said today. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who currently heads the group of developing nations - the biggest world body outside of the UN -- made the call in an opening address to a special meeting of the organisation's committee on Palestine.

"The grim situation on the ground risks sliding dangerously towards a precipice and full-fledged war," Abdullah said, accusing Israel of repression, violence and "state terrorism".

"I suggest that the United Nations can and must intervene effectively by establishing a UN mission or authorising an international presence to monitor the situation, ease the tension and maintain peace and security."

Without spelling out details, Abdullah called for "a UN peacekeeping force or an international monitoring mechanism" to ensure that the "roadmap" for peace was implemented.

"The United Nations, notably the Security Council, remains the last hope for the Palestinian people," he said.
Abdullah told a news conference later that with all previous negotiations and agreements "torpedoed and torn to pieces", NAM members currently on the UN security council hoped to win a new Security Council resolution for the resumption of peace talks.

Bureau Report