While Malaysia’s foreign policy towards Palestine has been always visible and has received some academic attention, very few works have focused on the country’s policy towards Israel. For decades, the Malaysian government asserted it will not develop any ties with Israel as long as the Zionist state continues to deny the Palestinians their rights, especially the right to an independent Palestinian state. This, however, did not mean Israel did not attempt to penetrate the southeast Asian country. This chapter examines Malaysia’s approach towards Israel under the leadership of the country’s longest-ruling party, the National Front (Barisan Nasional).
Malaysia’s Foreign Policy towards Israel in the Era of Tunku Abdul Rahman (1957-1970)
Although Malaysia naturally supported the Palestinian struggle for self-determination since independence, the country’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had no objection, in principle, to having relations with Israel. The Tunku was reported once to say in parliament that: ‘not because the Arabs are anti-Israel that we have to follow as such. Similarly, not because Malaya is anti-communist that we could force others to follow us.’ One year before independence, on October 14, 1956, the Tunku met Israeli Foreign Minister, Moshe Sharett, in Kuala Lumpur. Among the issues the two discussed was Sharett’s proposal of appointing an Israeli consul in Kuala
Lumpur, an idea the Tunku welcomed according to Sharett’s diaries. A year later on August 26, 1957, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion sent a congratulatory letter to the Tunku for Malaya’s upcoming independence. Israel also voted to accept Malaya in the United Nations, and in December of that year a member of the Malayan UN delegation informed Israeli envoys that Malaya recognized Israel but had no intention of establishing diplomatic ties with it.
