Solidarity with Gaza: Malaysia bans Israeli ships

Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian-based news house has reported that the nation’s government imposed an indefinite ban on ships owned by Israel-based shipping firms from docking at all ports in the country.

Malay Mail reports that according to the nation’s Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the administration has directed the Transport Ministry to enforce the ban immediately.

The PM said that the ban imposed by the administration is a response to Israel’s violation of basic humanitarian principles and international law over the ongoing massacre and brutality against the Palestinian population.

The minister further said that the Malaysian Cabinet allowed Israeli-registered companies to anchor in their territory in 2002 and allowed Israeli-registered ships to dock in Malaysia in 2005.

However, both the decisions have been revoked.

He said that the nation’s government on Wednesday decided to revoke the Cabinet’s decisions in the past, stopping permission to ships using Israeli flags to dock in the country.

Further, the country also imposed a ban on loading any cargo on ships en route to Israel from any Malaysian ports.

PM Anwar said that this decision won’t affect the trading activities that are underway.

The ban came when the US announced a defence force against Houthis of Yemen from attacking shipping lines in the Red Sea. The Houthis have unleashed rampant attacks on vessels in the waterway and claimed that they are attacking Israel-based and its allies' ships in response to the conflict in Gaza.

The US 10-nation defence force is expected to include Arab Nations such as Egypt and Jordan, while Bahrain is already a member.