Service With United Nations in Lebanon
The Malaysian Army might possibly deploy between 850 and 1,000 soldiers to Lebanon under the United Nations peacekeeping mandate. The deployment will be in concert with deployment of troops from Indonesia (850 troops) and Brunei (200 troops). The International Stabilization Force in Southern Lebanon will only but only once a cease-fire is declared. The Malaysian contingent will comprise troops from the 4th Mechanised Brigade. An observer group would earlier to gather information on the situation there. The troops will fly out to Lebanon by military transport with their light equipments. Heavy equipment will be sent by ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy
While Lebanon has wholeheartedly welcome Malaysia's presence, Israel has protested Malaysia’s participation in the peacekeeping force because Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (then fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia) said that only the United Nations can decide who should participate in the peacekeeping mission, and not by Israel. Then-Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak have said Israel should have no say in the make-up of the force as the troops would not be stationed on Israeli territory. The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, echoed the view.
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