Malaysia banned all Israeli-flagged cargo ships from entering its ports in response to the war in Gaza.
The government says Israel is violating international law through “massacres and brutality against Palestinians.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim issued a statement on Wednesday announcing the decision to impose a shipping ban on Israel-linked ships, singling out Israel’s largest shipping company ZIM, amid growing alarm over disruptions to global shipping as a result of attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea. Ships bound for Israel will also be banned from loading cargo at any port in the Southeast Asian country with immediate effect. Anwar claimed:
The Malaysian government decided to block and disallow the Israeli-based shipping company ZIM from docking at any Malaysian port.
The restrictions were a response “to Israel’s actions that ignore basic humanitarian principles and violate international law by continuing massacres and brutality against Palestinians.”
Malaysia “has also decided to no longer accept Israeli-flagged vessels to dock in the country” and to prohibit “any ship travelling to Israel from loading cargo in Malaysian ports”. The prime minister added:
Both of these restrictions are effective immediately.
Malaysia has donated millions of dollars to help Gaza civilians and Anwar has actively supported the Palestinian cause and condemned the Israeli bombardment of Gaza since 7 October.
Malaysia’s ban comes at a time of severe disruption to shipping routes as Red Sea passage is threatened by attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the main east-west trade route.
The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, which creates the shortest sea route between Europe and Asia. About 12 per cent of the world’s shipping traffic passes through the canal.
Malaysia, where about 60 per cent of the population is Muslim, has no diplomatic relations with Israel and favours a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
