Malaysia on high alert after arrest of armed Israeli national

Members of the Royal Malaysia Police guard the entrance toward the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 21, 2022. (AFP/File)

• Malaysia does not allow Israeli nationals to enter its territory
• 36-year-old Israeli was traveling on reportedly fake French passport

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities were on high alert on Saturday after the arrest of an Israeli national who was apprehended with several handguns and rounds of ammunition at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia has long shown support for Palestinian statehood and its leaders have been fiercely critical of Israel since the beginning of its deadly invasion of Gaza in October.
Kuala Lumpur does not have diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv and does not allow Israeli nationals to enter its territory. Israeli or Israel-bound ships are also barred from docking in Malaysian ports.
The 36-year-old suspect was detained earlier this week, and found with six pistols and 200 bullets, police said on Friday, expressing concern to local media over the haul.
“Why does the suspect need that many pistols and bullets?” National Police Chief Razarudin Husain told reporters.
“He claimed to have come to Malaysia to kill another Israeli citizen over a personal dispute, but is it true?”
Police revealed that the man had entered the country on March 12 from the UAE and had stayed in several hotels since.
He reportedly handed over what authorities believed to be a fake French passport before producing an Israeli one after further questioning.
Since then, authorities said that they were cautious about the security of several public figures, including the king — Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar — and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Earlier on Saturday, local media reported that police arrested three Malaysians on suspicion of supplying the weapons and acting as a driver to the Israeli suspect. They also seized another handgun during the arrest.
The arrest of the Israeli prompted Mohd. Azmi Abdul Hamid, the leader of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization — a local humanitarian group — to urge Malaysia to beef-up its security.
State news agency Bernama quoted Azmi as saying Malaysia’s firm stance against Israel and boycott of Israeli products had attracted Tel Aviv’s attention, as the country “stands out among the countries that strongly condemn Israel and spearheads international campaigns in support of Palestine.”