Malaysia imposes docking ban on Israeli ships

Ships from an Israeli cargo shipping company as well as those en route to the country, and those hoisting the country's flag will be restricted from docking at Malaysian ports with immediate effect, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said.

"The Malaysian government has decided to bar and restrict Zim Integrated Shipping Services, a shipping company based in Israel, from docking at any Malaysian ports," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This sanction is a response to Israel's actions that disregard the basic humanitarian principles and violate international law through the ongoing massacre and continuous cruelty against the Palestinian people," he added.

Malaysia has long championed Palestinian rights and causes, with Anwar vocally raising the issue at a number of international forums, reports Xinhua.

Malaysia and Israel currently maintain no formal diplomatic relations.