KUALA LUMPUR/ISLAMABAD: Malaysia has declared a prohibition on Israeli or Israel-bound ships from accessing its ports amid escalating concerns over the mounting death toll of Palestinians in Gaza.
Malaysia has been witnessing regular public demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine since the outset of the Israeli offensive in Gaza last October.
Health authorities in the Palestinian territory estimate that the daily attacks have resulted in the deaths of nearly 20,000 individuals, predominantly women and children.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced an immediate ban on ships affiliated with the Israeli shipping company ZIM, as well as any vessels carrying Israel’s flag.
“These measures are a direct response to Israel’s actions, which disregard fundamental humanitarian principles and violate international law through ongoing massacres and atrocities against Palestinians,” he stated in a release.
“Additionally, Malaysia is imposing restrictions on any ship destined for Israel from loading cargo at Malaysian ports. These constraints take immediate effect.”
Anwar noted that the Malaysian government had previously permitted ZIM’s ships to dock in Malaysia starting in 2002.
According to shipping intelligence provider Alphaliner’s publicly available data, ZIM is ranked as the world’s 10th largest shipping container company. The Haifa-based firm holds a 598,081 20-foot container capacity, accounting for a 2.1 percent share in the global market as of December 20.
Malaysia maintains no formal relations with Tel Aviv and has consistently voiced its support for Palestinian self-determination.
The country prohibits its citizens from using their passports to enter Israel and has restricted Israelis from entering its territory.
Collins Chong Yew Keat, a foreign policy and security strategist at the University of Malaya, explained that the shipping ban aligns with Malaysia’s enduring stance against Israel.
