Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today expressed regret over UN chief Kofi Annan's decision to scrap a mission to investigate what happened at the Jenin refugee camp.

"I am saddened. I am saddened by the announcement to disband the mission by United Nation's (Secretary General) Kofi Annan," Mahathir told reporters.

"If one country, Israel can defy the whole world, what is the use for the UN."

Annan disbanded his fact-finding mission into the Israeli army assault on the Palestinian refugee camp late Thursday without the mission even having set foot in the Middle East.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan sent letters to the president of the UN Security Council, the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, confirming the decision he made on Wednesday in the face of Israel's continued refusal to cooperate with the inquiry.

Mahathir said Islamic countries must adopt a common approach to end the violence and the sufferings of the Palestinian people.

"I think as long as there is a division, they will not able to use their influence to end Israel arrogance," he said.

Mahathir said Malaysia favours the establishment of a UN force to be sent to the Palestinian territories to ensure security.

The Palestinians have accused the Israeli army of massacring civilians in a nine-day assault on the camp last month. Israel says it killed 52 Palestinians, most of them gunmen, while losing 23 of its own men in fierce fighting.

Lebanese talks

Meanwhile Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri is to hold talks on the Middle East crisis with Mahathir in Malaysia on May 8, a foreign ministry official said today.

"The Middle East crisis and efforts to stop the violence will be discussed during Hariri's one-day visit," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The official said both Malaysia and Lebanon want the Middle East issue resolved.

"The crisis is having a toll on the Lebanese economy since a bulk of Palestinian refugees are in Lebanon," he said, adding that both Malaysia and Lebanon are strong supporters of an independent Palestinian state.

Malaysia and Lebanon enjoy close political relations as both are members of the Organization of Islamic Conference. Trade ties are less significant.