KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5: Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar has rejected a call from Israel for dialogue aimed at reaching a resolution to the Middle East crisis, a media report said on Saturday.

“Our refusal to enter into dialogue (with Israel) has nothing to do with race or religion,” Syed Hamid was quoted as saying by the Malay language Utusan Malaysia newspaper.

“If they continue to trample international law, how can we sit and hold a dialogue with them,” he said.

Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with the Jewish state but has close links with Palestinians, backing their struggle for an independent state.

On Friday, Israel’s ambassador to neighbouring Singapore Ilan Ben-Dov called for a constructive dialogue with Malaysia and Indonesia on problems in the Middle East.

His call came a day after Malaysia hosted an emergency gathering of Muslim leaders from the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) who condemned Israeli aggression in Lebanon.

Key members of the 57-nation bloc, including Iran and allies of the US “war on terror” such as Turkey and Pakistan, condemned “relentless Israeli aggression” and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, also does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.

Syed Hamid said he did not see the need for dialogue with Israel. “They receive total protection from a world superpower. They do not need countries like us,” he was quoted in the newspaper as saying.—AFP