US summons Malaysia envoy over Israel policy

The US Department of State summoned Malaysia's ambassador over the country's longstanding policy of not recognizing Israel. Malaysia's Foreign Minister stated that this policy is not new and that the country's immigration rules do not recognize the State of Israel. The incident was reportedly triggered by a digital nomad community, Network School, which faced scrutiny after social media users claimed it included participants from Israel. Although authorities found all participants had valid travel documents, the school was shut down. This action, along with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's plan to track and deport any Israeli citizens in Malaysia, prompted a letter of outrage from eight US congressmen to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Malaysia maintains it has no diplomatic ties with Israel and supports the Palestinian cause.

The US State Department summoned Malaysia's ambassador to the United States to discuss Kuala Lumpur's stance on Israel. According to Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Ambassador Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob informed the State Department that Malaysia's policy of not recognizing Israel is a long-standing one. The ambassador reiterated that Malaysia's immigration policy does not recognize the State of Israel or the "Zionist regime," a position that has been consistent for a long time. This meeting occurred after Malaysia's decision to ban Israeli citizens from entering the country.