KUALA LUMPUR, July 23, 2026 — Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that Malaysia will maintain its long-standing policy of prohibiting the entry of Israeli citizens, rejecting pressure from eight members of the US Congress.
In a firm statement, Anwar said the decision is rooted in Malaysia’s opposition to the oppression and ongoing killings of Palestinians in Gaza. “Malaysia will continue to hold firmly to its position of blocking the entry of Israeli nationals into the country,” he declared, emphasising that the policy has been in place for decades and is well known to the United States.
The remarks come after eight Democratic US Congress members — Greg Landsman, Josh Gottheimer, Jimmy Panetta, Dan Goldman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz, Brad Sherman and Jake Auchincloss — expressed strong dissatisfaction. In a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers criticised Malaysia’s stance and urged a review of bilateral security and economic ties, including the possible suspension of military assistance programmes.
Anwar dismissed the criticism as an attempt at foreign interference. He stressed that Malaysia is a sovereign nation free to determine its own policies and questioned how elected representatives could overlook the suffering of civilians, including children and women, in Gaza while focusing on the entry ban.
The latest reaffirmation follows recent investigations into allegations that Israeli nationals holding dual citizenship were residing in the Network School tech community at Forest City in Johor. Authorities inspected the site and Anwar had earlier stated that any confirmed Israeli citizens would be deported immediately, consistent with Malaysia’s non-recognition of Israel and absence of diplomatic relations.
Malaysia has never established formal ties with Israel and has consistently barred Israeli passport holders from entering the country without special approval. Anwar underlined that the policy will not be altered under external pressure and that it does not affect broader Malaysia-US relations.
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