US summons Malaysia envoy over Israel policy

Tensions have escalated between the United States and Malaysia over Kuala Lumpur's diplomatic stance toward Israel. The US State Department called in Malaysia's ambassador to discuss the country's established policy of not recognizing the Israeli state, according to Malaysian state news agency Bernama. Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan clarified that this position represents a consistent, long-standing approach rather than a recent shift, noting that Malaysia's immigration framework has never acknowledged Israeli statehood.

The immediate trigger for the diplomatic summons involved a digital nomad community called Network School, founded by US investor Balaji Srinivasan, which faced scrutiny after social media reports suggested Israeli participants were involved. Malaysian authorities investigated and confirmed all participants held valid travel documents, yet the school was closed on Tuesday. The incident prompted eight US congressmen to write to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern about Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's stated intention to track and deport Israeli citizens.

Despite international pressure, Ibrahim reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to its policy. He emphasized that Malaysia would maintain its ban on Israeli nationals entering the country, framing the decision as rooted in support for Palestinian rights and opposition to what he characterized as oppression and violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The US congressmen escalated their response by urging the State Department to review economic and security relationships with Malaysia, specifically threatening to suspend funding for the International Military Education and Training programme unless the decision is reversed within 15 days.