Malaysia will not bow to pressure over Israeli entry ban, says PM Anwar

Malaysia will not yield to pressure and will maintain its long-standing policy of prohibiting Israeli nationals from entering the country, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared on July 22. He emphasized that Malaysia's stance is not a violation of any international laws.

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Malaysia will not be intimidated into changing its decades-old policy of not allowing Israeli nationals into the country.

Ibrahim directly addressed U.S. lawmakers who had suggested Malaysia was contravening international law and disrespecting national rights by enforcing this ban. "This is totally absurd," he stated, explaining that the policy has been in place for decades. He clarified that Malaysia opposes the presence of Israeli citizens, not Jewish people, because they are seen as complicit in the "murders, crimes and continuous oppression, colonisation of Palestine and Gaza."

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I would like to respond to the United States lawmakers, some of them at least, who stated categorically that Malaysia is in contravention of international laws and was disrespectful of the rights of nations.

The prime minister's comments came after several U.S. congressmen urged Washington to reconsider its security and economic relationship with Malaysia. This followed Ibrahim's earlier remarks on July 15 about deporting Israeli nationals holding dual citizenship and residing in Malaysia. The Johor state government had also called for an investigation into a technology community at Forest City amid claims of Israeli residents with dual citizenship.

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This is totally absurd because, as far was we are concerned, this policy has been adopted by Malaysia for decades, that we are against the presence of any Israeli citizens, not Jews, but Israeli citizens here because they are part and parcel and complicit to the murders, crimes and continuous oppression, colonisation of Palestine and Gaza.

Ibrahim accused the U.S. lawmakers of attempting to threaten the Malaysian government. He pointed out that many countries have similar bans on Israeli citizens and that Malaysia has enforced its policy for decades. "Firstly, they must understand that this is an independent and sovereign nation, and our opposition to Israel is due to their tyranny, their colonisation, and their daily killings," he asserted. He questioned how U.S. representatives could deny the realities of the situation in Gaza, including the deaths of children and women and the destruction of homes.

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It turns out they have not followed the developments at all where many countries ban it (Israeli citizens from entering their country) and that Malaysia has banned it for decades.