US summons Malaysia envoy over Israel policy

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Bernama, Anadolu and Reuters, reported that the US Department of State summoned Malaysia’s ambassador in Washington over Kuala Lumpur’s policy toward Israel. Malaysia’s foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said Ambassador Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob told US officials that Malaysia’s refusal to recognise Israel is a longstanding position, not a new measure.

The diplomatic exchange followed scrutiny of Network School, a digital-nomad community in Malaysia founded by US investor Balaji Srinivasan, after social media claims that Israelis were among its participants. Malaysian authorities reportedly found participants had valid travel documents, but the school was closed on Tuesday. Hasan also described a case involving a dual US-Israeli citizen who entered on a US passport and was later asked to leave after Malaysian checks found Israeli citizenship.

Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel and has long aligned itself with the Palestinian cause. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would continue barring Israeli nationals despite objections from US lawmakers, framing the policy as part of the government’s stance against Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, according to Bernama as cited by Al Jazeera.

The issue has drawn attention in Washington. Eight US members of Congress wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio objecting to Anwar’s plan to identify and deport Israeli citizens in Malaysia. They urged a review of economic and security ties with Kuala Lumpur and called for suspending International Military Education and Training programme funding for Malaysia unless the policy is reversed within 15 days.