Malaysia Defies US Pressure, Vows to Deport Any Israeli Who Enters the Country
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is seen at an Oct. 23 pro-Hamas rally in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Reuters/Mat Zain Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to immediately deport any Israeli citizen found in the…
Assessment
Malaysia is doubling down on its ban on Israeli citizens, publicly defying US pressure to change course. The immediate trigger is a social media controversy around a tech project in Johor, but the underlying stakes are Malaysia's sovereign policy and its stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The next development to watch is whether the US escalates its pressure or whether other nations follow Malaysia's lead.