Criticized by the US Congress, the Malaysian PM still refuses Israeli citizens to enter his country.

US President Donald Trump with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim/DOK The White House

JAKARTA - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that his country will continue to ban Israeli citizens from entering Malaysia despite the policy being criticized by a number of members of the United States Congress (US).

"We will not allow any Israeli citizen to set foot in Malaysia," Anwar Ibrahim said at an event in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, Wednesday, July 22.

Anwar said a number of members of the US Congress considered Malaysia's policy of banning Israelis from entering the country to be contrary to international law and disrespectful of the rights of other nations.

Anwar considered the criticism to be unreasonable, because Malaysia's policy has been in place for decades.

"We are against the presence of any Israeli citizen, not Jews, but Israeli citizens, because they are part of and involved in the ongoing murder, crime, oppression and colonization of Palestinians and Gaza," he said.

Anwar said that some countries might choose to remain silent over the atrocities against the Palestinian people, but Malaysia as an independent country exercised its right to respect humanity.

Media reports in Malaysia stated that at least eight members of the US congress criticized Malaysia's policies. They urged the US government to review the US cooperation relationship with Malaysia.