REMBAU: Malaysia has once again formally reaffirmed to the United States (US) government its longstanding policy of not recognising Israel, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Foreign Minister said Malaysia's ambassador to the US, Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, had been summoned by the US State Department to explain the country's position and had informed the department that the policy was not new.
Mohamad said the matter was being handled appropriately by the Malaysian government.
"It has always been Malaysia's policy. Our Immigration policy does not recognise the State of Israel or the Zionist regime. This has long been our position.
"There was an individual with dual citizenship, the US and Israel, who entered Malaysia using his US passport. However, subsequent checks revealed that he also held Israeli citizenship, and we asked him to leave," he told reporters here Thursday (July 23).
Mohamad was speaking after a meet-and-greet session with Barisan Nasional's Chembong candidate Datuk Zaifulbahri Idris held in conjunction with the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election.
On Wednesday (July 22), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reiterated that Malaysia would continue to bar Israeli citizens from entering the country despite objections raised by eight US members of Congress.
Anwar said the policy was based on Malaysia's commitment to defending the rights of the people and opposing the continued oppression, aggression and killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Earlier, eight Democratic members of Congress wrote to the US Secretary of State to express their dissatisfaction with Anwar's decision to immediately expel an Israeli citizen who was in Malaysia.
The lawmakers were Greg Landsman, Josh Gottheimer, Jimmy Panetta, Dan Goldman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz, Brad Sherman and Jake Auchincloss. - Bernama
