Leaders of five Muslim countries -- Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and Senegal -- plan to call for an immediate ceasefire and a formation of peacekeeping force in Lebanon when they meet in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

The leaders from the 57-strong Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) are expected to come up with a proposal to end Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which have killed more than 600 civilians in the past 19 days.

Israel's latest air attack on Qana, southern Lebanon, on Sunday killed 56 civilians, including 37 children.

"We can't just sit still when Palestine and Lebanon, two OIC members, are attacked by Israel. The longer the attacks, the more innocent victims die. We will try to unite to call for a quick ceasefire," Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said in an interview with The Jakarta Post published Tuesday.

Hassan said the OIC miniature meeting was needed because there were still different views among OIC members on how to see the attacks.

"With the limited meeting, we hope we can quickly come up with a united voice that has more influence on the decision-making process for a ceasefire currently being discussed by the UN Security Council. We will direct our call to the UNSC because it has the mandate to issue a ceasefire decision," Hassan said.

Because an effective ceasefire needed the establishment of a peacekeeping force, OIC members would also discuss a proposal on the form of that force, he said.

Hassan said the UNSC, which is discussing a ceasefire process and peacekeeping operations in New York, had the option of activating a peacekeeping force under the UN Charter's chapter six or more robust multinational operations under chapter seven.

"Hopefully, the OIC proposal can become an input for the UNSC. Although Indonesia has expressed readiness to join a UN-sanctioned peacekeeping force, we don't have a tradition of joining multinational forces under chapter seven," he said.

A robust multinational force would aim to disarm Hizbollah, Hassan said.

"But, there is still a question mark hanging over this. With prepared and superior troops, Israel is finding it difficult to disarm Hizbollah," he said.

Source: Xinhua