"On the way to Elbit": Malaysia confiscated a container for Israel
The container was confiscated on one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, which connects China to the West. "Any attempt to export goods to Israel - directly or indirectly - contrary to the law and government regulations, will be dealt with severely," threatened the local border guard.
Authorities in Malaysia confiscated a container at the Tanjung Pelepas port in the city of Johor because it was carrying goods to Israel, the Malaysian border guard announced. While it is only one container, it is a significant step, since Malaysia is located in the Strait of Malacca - the busiest shipping lane in the world, which connects China to the West. "Any attempt to export goods to Israel - directly or indirectly - contrary to the law and government regulations, will be dealt with severely," threatened the local border guard.
The container was delayed at the second-largest port in Malaysia on Friday. The Malaysian authorities did not specify what was in the cargo, but the anti-Israel organization "No Harbour for Genocide," which works to thwart shipments of weapons and dual-use products to Israel, stated that it involved goods from the Philippines that were making their way to the Elbit land division facility in Yokneam.
According to the organization, the container, numbered XHCU2519500, left Manila on July 27 and was supposed to leave Johor on the ship "Berlin Maersk" on August 9 at 17:00 local time. Previously, the container was transferred to Manila on July 4 and loaded onto the ship "Zhong Gu Chang Chun" on July 15. The organization claimed that the container's destination was the Elbit land division, but did not specify who the Filipino manufacturer is.
About 94,000 ships cross the Strait of Malacca every year, double that of the currently blocked Strait of Hormuz. In the Malacca area, it is very common to perform transshipment: a process where goods arrive on a ship at a certain port, are unloaded onto the dock, bills of lading are changed, and the goods are sent to the final destination.
Confiscating the container is another step in a series of Malaysian actions against Israel since October 7, 2023. Malaysia, among other things, banned ZIM ships from docking at its ports, and about a month ago decided that Israelis would not be able to stay in the country - even if they hold dual citizenship.
Prime Minister welcomed the move
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a friend of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, welcomed the confiscation of the container, which, according to authorities in Kuala Lumpur, contained "strategic goods" under Malaysia's "Strategic Trade" law. Ibrahim said that the move demonstrates his country's "firm stance" that it will never agree to trade that supports "the actions of the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people."
The move by Kuala Lumpur reflects how much it is one of the most anti-Israel countries in the world. For example, Malaysia is one of the founding countries of the "Hague Group": a cluster of anti-Israel countries that united to declare that they will refuse to supply Israel with products such as ammunition, fuel, and dual-use products. These countries include South Africa, Cuba, Namibia, Senegal, Iraq, and Libya. Another prominent player is Turkey, which imposed a trade embargo on Israel in 2024. However, changes in government in Latin American countries, especially in Colombia and Bolivia, significantly eroded the importance of the organization.
