Amid war on Gaza, Malaysian ports ban Israeli vessels

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday announced a ban on docking of Israeli vessels at all ports in the Southeast Asian nation.

“These restrictions are a response to Israel’s actions that ignore basic humanitarian principles and violate international law through continuous massacres and atrocities against the Palestinians,” Anwar said in a statement.

The indefinite ban on docking at all Malaysian ports will be imposed on any Israeli-flagged vessel as well as those owned by Israel-based shipping company ZIM.

He said the government in 2002 and 2005 had allowed Israeli-registered companies to anchor and later dock in Malaysia.

All such decisions have been canceled, the statement added.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 19,667 Palestinians have since been killed and 52,586 injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 stands at 1,200, while over 130 hostages are still held by the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.