Malaysia will not consider establishing diplomatic ties with Israel and Israel's withdrawal from Gaza was only a small step toward eventual peace, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid said in Kuala Lumpur Friday.

The eventual peace is that an independent Palestinian state and Israel live side by side, he said, adding that is a principle accepted by Malaysia as well as the international community.

The long-standing position of Malaysia will not change, even if Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, he said at a ceremony for launching an international Islamic fair.

Syed Hamid stressed that Israel must take more steps to realize the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestine state.

Malaysia is a long-time and staunch supporter of the Palestine people's struggle. Last month, Malaysia expressed welcome to Israel's pullout from the Palestinian soil, saying it was a right move toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state and would pave the way for a sustainable peaceful solution to the West Asian crisis.

Source: Xinhua