M'SIA VOICES REGRET OVER ISRAEL'S ATROCITIES IN GAZA

KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia), Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Najib
Tun Razak on Monday voiced Malaysia's regret over the atrocities committed by
Israel in Gaza.

He said the Zionist regime's military offensive, which started on Saturday,
was uncalled for, more so when it was the regime itself which had violated the
terms of the ceasefire agreement by not allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.

This had forced Hamas fighters to take up arms, he said.

"We deeply regret Israel's atrocities," he told reporters after holding a
closed-door meeting with Kuala Terengganu Umno branch leaders here.

UMNO stands for United Malays National Organisation is a right-wing party
and Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the Barisan
Nasional (National Front) coalition, which has been Malaysia's ruling political
party since independence.

Najib said that Israeli authorities should have observed the ceasefire and
allowed humanitarian relief and other activities, such as economic activities,
to go on.

"The Gaza people have suffered enough, and that is why Hamas is gaining
support," he said when asked to comment on Israel's continued offensive in the
Gaza peninsula, with death toll reportedly reaching 510 today.

To another question, Najib said, he did not think that the latest Israeli
offensive was aimed at testing how the new United States President-elect, Barack
Obama, would react to it.

"I don't see it that way," he said, adding, however, that being a close
ally, Israel would have the US' support.

-- BERNAMA