Muslim states must remain 'firm' in bringing Israel to justice: Malaysia PM tells Saudi's bin Salman

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on Arab and Muslim countries to remain “consistent and firm” in demanding justice for Palestine and ensuring that Israel is punished for all the crimes and atrocities it has perpetrated against Palestinians for decades.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday.

“All parties also need to voice objections to Israel's illegal invasion and occupation of Palestinian land, which is the main cause of this prolonged conflict,” Anwar said.

Malaysia has been a staunch supporter of Palestinians.

Back in December 2023, the Malaysian government imposed an indefinite ban on vessels owned by an Israeli shipping cargo company from docking at its ports in response to the bloody Israeli onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Ibrahim announced the decision to impose the maritime ban on Israel-affiliated vessels – singling out ZIM, Israel’s largest shipping firm – on December 20 in response to the war in Gaza.

He said in a statement that the Transport Ministry had been instructed to enforce the ban with immediate effect.

Malaysia imposes docking ban on Israeli cargo ships in solidarity with Gaza

Malaysia has banned Israeli-flagged cargo ships from docking at its ports in response to Israel’s bloody onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Moreover, some Western fast-food brands in Malaysia, as in some other Muslim nations, have been targeted by boycott campaigns over US support for the Israeli bloody onslaught in Gaza.

More than 100 outlets of fast-food company Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Malaysia were lately forced to close amid a months-long pro-Palestine economic boycott linked to the conflict in Gaza.

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, which operates KFC and Pizza Hut franchises in Malaysia, said in a statement on Monday that it temporarily closed KFC outlets “in response to challenging economic conditions.”

KFC shutters 100 restaurants in Malaysia over pro-Palestine boycott

The American fast-food chain was forced to close more than 100 restaurants in Malaysia.

Fast-food giant McDonald's, which sparked outrage when its franchise in the occupied Palestinian territories donated thousands of meals to Israeli troops after the start of the war on Gaza, reported in February that the Gaza boycotts had “meaningfully impacted” its sales, particularly in West Asia and Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.

Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on the coastal territory, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle.

So far during the military onslaught, the regime has killed at least 34,535 Gazans. Another 77,704 Palestinians have sustained injuries as well.

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