Malaysian flotilla volunteers may face double standards - Expert
Malaysia had no official diplomatic relations with Israel, never recognised it as a state and had consistently criticised the Zionist regime’s policies in Gaza, Palestine.
SHAH ALAM - Malaysian volunteers taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mission may face double standards and harsher treatment compared to participants from countries with ties to Israel, according to an international law expert.
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Associate Professor Dr Mohd Yazid Zul Kepli said this was because Malaysia had no official diplomatic relations with Israel, never recognised it as a state and had consistently criticised the Zionist regime’s policies in Gaza, Palestine.
He said the Malaysian delegation could have been detained for three to seven days in a temporary detention centre, during which their mobile phones and personal belongings would have been confiscated, with communication with the outside world heavily restricted.
In contrast, he explained that volunteers from European countries with ties to Israel were likely to be detained for only one to three days for basic investigations before being released or deported.
"For Malaysian volunteers, they could already expect what would almost certainly happen once their ship was intercepted by Israeli forces.
“ Firstly, they would be ordered to stop, the ship would be seized and all passengers would be inspected.
“All of them would undergo an interrogation process about their destination or personal background and even their organisational networks would be scrutinised.
“After a few days, they were usually forced to return via Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with flight tickets arranged by Israel,” he said in an interview with Sinar Harian.
He referred to past humanitarian aid missions, where Malaysians, Indonesians and Iranians were detained longer because Israel had to arrange deportation via third countries such as Jordan or Egypt.
This matched the experiences of Malaysian activists detained during the 2010 Mavi Marmara and MV Rachel Corrie missions, as well as the Zaytouna-Oliva ‘Women’s Boat to Gaza’ in 2016, which lasted around four to six days.
Dr Mohd Yazid added that many activists had also been banned from re-entering Israel, including the West Bank and Jerusalem, for several years after their detention.
From a psychological standpoint, he believed these processes were aimed at intimidating volunteers while signalling the risks involved in bringing aid directly to Gaza.
However, he noted that Malaysian volunteers often still received strong moral and political support from the government and the public, who regarded their bravery as a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian cause despite the dangers.
“When Israeli forces carried out blockades and interceptions on humanitarian convoys such as the GSF, the volunteers involved went through a strict security process.
“This entire process reflected how Israel used security mechanisms and immigration laws to weaken international solidarity for Gaza,” he said.
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