Malaysia Takes Stand Against Israeli Shipping Amidst Palestinian Human Rights Concerns
Malaysia takes a firm stand against Israeli-owned and linked shipping, prohibiting their access to Malaysian ports due to alleged mistreatment of Palestinians
The Malaysian government declared on Wednesday that it will not allow any Israeli owned or flagged ships, as well as vessels heading to Israel, to dock at its ports. The ban, put into effect immediately, is in response to Israels conduct in its conflict with Hamas, according to a statement from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahims office.
The statement announced that the sanction was a reaction to Israel's disregard for humanitarian principles and violation of international law through the ongoing massacre and continuous cruelty against the Palestinian people.
Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, has consistently been a strong advocate for Palestinian rights and causes, along with nearby Indonesia, Brunei, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Pakistan, all of which do not recognize Israel.
The ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israels military following Hamas deadly October 7 attacks has sparked mass rallies in Malaysia and put domestic political pressure on Anwar.
A Malaysian maritime port in the southern state of Johor.
Lionel Ng/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File
Anwar is known for his strong opposition to Israel and its supporters in the United States, despite the significant trade relationship between the two countries. In a speech to parliament in November, he declared that the government would continue its relationship with Hamas and would not take punitive action against the group, even after their attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the death of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of over 200 hostages.
Malaysian passports carry the message: "Valid for all countries except Israel." Without prior permission, Israeli passport holders are not allowed to enter Malaysia. The Malaysian government's statement noted that since 2005, Israeli-registered companies and ships had been permitted to dock in the country.
The government has chosen to overturn the previous decision made by the Cabinet to prohibit ships flying the Israeli flag from docking in the country. The statement on Wednesday specifically mentioned the Israel-based global shipping company ZIM, noting that their vessels have been docking in Malaysia since 2002.
In addition, Malaysia has also imposed "a ban on any ship that are heading to Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports."
