Malaysia imposes docking ban on Israeli ships, vessels heading there

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
20 Dec 2023 09:37
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Malaysia joins Yemen in isolating the Israeli occupation by banning ships of the ZIM shipping company.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim at a summit in Jakarta on September 6, 2023. (AFP)

Malaysia imposed a docking ban on all ships from an Israeli shipping cargo company, those en route to any Israeli dock, and those hoisting the occupation flag, stated Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim.

"The Malaysian government has decided to bar and restrict Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, which is a shipping company based in Israel, from docking in any Malaysian port," the Prime Minister said in a statement on X on Wednesday.

Kenyataan Media
Perdana Menteri
20 Disember 2023

Kerajaan Malaysia memutuskan untuk menyekat dan tidak membenarkan syarikat perkapalan yang berpangkalan di Israel, ZIM daripada berlabuh di mana-mana pelabuhan Malaysia.

Kementerian Pengangkutan akan mengambil tindakan segera… pic.twitter.com/xBoUjTIt8D
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) December 20, 2023

Ibrahim said that Zim is a publicly held Israeli international cargo shipping corporation, and the Cabinet allowed ships from this company to dock in Malaysia from 2002 onwards, adding that "In 2005, the Cabinet decided to permit the ship to dock in Malaysia."

However, given the current situation in Palestine and the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the current government decided to cancel the decisions of the former administration.

The Transport Ministry is set to take immediate action by imposing a permanent ban against this company, which will come into immediate effect.

"Aside from that, Malaysia will also prohibit any ships on the way to Israel from unloading cargo in Malaysia ports. Both of these bans come into effect immediately," he said, adding that the country is confident that the move would not affect its trade.

This statement comes amid Yemen's restrictions on all Israeli or Israeli-affiliated ships from passing through the Red and Arabian seas, as part of its steadfast solidarity with Palestine.

Yemen prevents 'Israel'-bound ships from passing via the Arabian, Red seas

Earlier this month, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced on December 9 the introduction of a new actionable decision in support of Gaza, which saw the prohibition of all ships bound to the occupation entity, regardless of their nationality, from passing through the Arabian and Red seas until food and medicine sufficient to the needs of the population enter the besieged Strip.

In a statement, Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree declared that this prohibition is "effective immediately," noting that Sanaa, "out of its commitment to the safety of maritime navigation, warns all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports."

"The Yemeni Armed Forces emphasize their full commitment to the continuity of global trade movement through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea for all ships and all countries, except those ships associated with Israel or those that will transport goods" to the occupation entity.