JAKARTA - The Malaysian government on Wednesday announced a ban on all Israeli-flagged and shiplanded vessels, as well as all ships heading to Israel, to dock in all ports in its territory.
Announcement from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's office said the ban would take effect soon and a response to Israel's actions in its conflict with Hamas.
"This sanction is a response to Israel's actions that ignore basic human principles and violate international law, through continued massacres and continued atrocities against the Palestinian people," the statement read.
Malaysia, which is predominantly Muslim, has long fought for Palestinian rights and struggles. Like neighboring Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan, this country does not recognize Israel.
The Israeli military's ongoing bombing of Gaza following the Hamas deadly attack on October 7, sparked mass demonstrations in Malaysia and put pressure on domestic politics on PM Anwar.
In a statement, the Malaysian Government said companies and ships registered in Israel had previously been allowed to dock in the country since 2005.
"However, the current government has decided to rule out previous Cabinet decisions, not allowing Israeli-flagged ships to dock in the country."
Wednesday's statement also highlighted global shipping company ZIM based in Israel. "For the record, the ZIM ship has docked in Malaysia since 2002," the statement said.
In addition, Malaysia has also imposed a "ban on any ship bound for Israel to load cargo at Malaysian ports."
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PM Anwar remains one of the world's most vocal leaders against Israel and also its supporters in the United States, even though Uncle Sam's country remains the main trading partner.
In a speech in parliament in November, PM Anwar said the government would maintain ties with Hamas and "will not punish" the group after an attack on Israel's southern territory on October 7, sparked an armed conflict in Gaza.
It is known that Malaysian passports also contained the caption: "It applies to all countries except Israel." Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering Malaysia without prior permission.
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