Malaysia has announced that it will seize three more containers bound for Israel | Today’s news

Authorities in Malaysia seized several more shipments bound for Israel at one of the country’s largest ports, according to people familiar with the matter, in what appears to be a new level of scrutiny in a country where anti-Israel sentiment is rife.

Three containers bound for the port of Ashdod, south of Tel Aviv, were detained at the Malaysian port of Tanjung Pelepas in mid-August and have not yet been released as authorities investigate their contents, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The seizure follows the initial detention on Aug. 7 of another container originally from the Philippines that was suspected by Malaysia’s Border Control and Protection Agency of containing weapons because it was headed for Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli defense technology firm, the agency said at the time. Tracking data from Hapag-Lloyd AG, the container line transporting the cargo, shows the shipment is still in Tanjung Pelepas.

The next three seizures happened on Aug. 19, the people said. The containers contained electric bike parts that were shipped from a Chinese manufacturer, Chongqing Mobimax Technology Co., according to a statement seen by Bloomberg News. Tracking data from the steamer carrying these cargoes, the AP Moller-Maersk A/S, also shows them still in the busy loading dock nearly a month later.

Commenting on the Aug. 7 seizure, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Southeast Asian nation would not facilitate trade flows that may support or contribute to the “cruelty of the Israeli regime.” Reflecting its longstanding stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Malaysia does not have diplomatic or trade relations with Israel, and therefore bans imports and exports to Israel under its customs regulations.

However, the legislation excludes goods in transit. Representatives from Anwar’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for Malaysia’s Border Control and Protection Agency said the matter was currently under investigation and the agency could not comment further. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department, whose legislation the agency uses to carry out enforcement at the ports, declined to comment.

The Johor Ports Authority, which oversees ports in the Malaysian state, also said the matter was under review. Malaysia’s transport ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Elbit Systems declined to comment, while Mobimax Technology did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives of Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk declined to comment.

Pro-Palestinian sentiment has long been strong in Muslim-majority Malaysia and intensified after the Gaza war began in October 2023, sparking widespread public protests and consumer boycotts. Anwar, who has been a vocal critic of Israel, banned Israeli shipping company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from using Malaysian ports in December of that year.

More recently, authorities shut down crypto investor Balaji Serinivasan’s startup academy, Johor-based Network School, in July this year following an investigation that sparked claims that Israeli students were studying at the tech commune in violation of Malaysian immigration rules. Malaysia also has no diplomatic ties with Israel, and passport holders are prohibited from entering without a permit.

Tanjung Pelepas Port is located near the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. It is the second largest port in Malaysia, but also the largest in terms of transshipment volume, which accounts for approximately 90% of the cargo it handles.

With help from Galit Altstein and Chunying Zhang.

This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.