Malaysia Bans Israeli-owned Ships from Docking
- Atalayar
Malaysia – The Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that any Israeli-flagged ships will not be allowed to dock in Malaysia soon.
"These restriction are a response to Israel's actions that ignore basic humanitarian principles and violate international law through continuous massacres and atrocities against the Palestinians," said the Prime Minister.
He also said the government is confident that the decisions will not affect Malaysian trade activities.
In addition, Anwar said the government decided to block the Israeli-based shipping company, ZIM, from docking at any port in the country with immediate effect.
Perdana Menteri Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim
- Dok Anwar Ibrahim
“For the record, the Cabinet began permitting ships owned by this company to dock in Malaysia in 2002.
"In 2005, the Cabinet at that time granted permission for those ships to land in Malaysia. However, the current government has decided to revoke all previous Cabinet decisions,” he added.
Malaysia is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and does not have diplomatic ties with Israel. Anwar has refused to bow to Western pressure for him to cut ties with Hamas.
In October, more than 16,000 people, including PM Anwar Ibrahim, turned up at a rally as Malaysia staged a show of support for the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
All educational institutions under Malaysia's Ministry of Education also held a Palestine Solidarity Week from October 29 to November 3 to educate students about humane values that also include human rights and compassion, said the ministry in October.
