Fast, factual wire coverage from across Malaysia and the region.
The UN Human Rights Office has raised alarm over intensifying attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, citing a particularly severe incident in August involving the siege of three families near Qusra.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has rejected suggestions that Malaysia should reconsider its relationship with the United States over its stance on Israel, arguing such calls are fundamentally misguided while reaffirming Malaysia's commitment to speaking out against civilian casualties in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated Malaysia's opposition to Israeli government actions while clarifying that the country respects Jewish people, drawing a distinction between political opposition and religious sentiment.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has clarified that Malaysia's prohibition on Israeli citizens entering the country stems from opposition to perceived oppression of Palestinians, not from anti-Semitic sentiment. He emphasised the distinction between critiquing government policies and religious discrimination.
Malaysia has joined Arab and Islamic countries in condemning Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the expansion of illegal settlements, reaffirming support for Palestinian self-determination and a two-state solution.
Palestinian officials have condemned Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, characterising an agreed ceasefire as ineffective and calling for urgent UN Security Council intervention to enforce a genuine halt to hostilities.
Pakistan and Jordan have condemned Israeli provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and escalating settler violence in Palestinian territories, with plans for diplomatic coordination among Arab and Islamic nations.
Israel's continued withholding of more than US$5 billion in Palestinian tax revenues has pushed the Palestinian economy to the brink, with the funds representing 68% of government revenue and unemployment exceeding 35%.
Israeli forces attacked a Bedouin community near East Jerusalem on Monday, injuring multiple Palestinians including women and elderly residents. Separately, authorities seized a house under construction and attempted livestock theft in the West Bank.
Israeli forces detained more than 40 Palestinians in a raid on Tell town near Nablus on Saturday, converting a seized house into an interrogation centre. The operation follows an attack near Havat Gilad settlement that killed two Israeli soldiers.
Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor who secured arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, has departed the institution under a cloud of serious misconduct allegations that have overshadowed his prosecutorial achievements.
Malaysia's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan has forcefully condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and settlers, calling it a blatant violation of Islamic sanctity.
Over 2,500 Israeli visitors entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem on Thursday to mark Tisha B'Av. Palestinian officials condemned the incursion as a dangerous escalation and violation of the site's religious status.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has drawn a clear distinction between Malaysia's opposition to Israeli policies and attitudes toward the Jewish people, emphasising the nation's position is grounded in political principle rather than religious prejudice.
A Columbia University academic has defended Malaysia's longstanding refusal to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, characterizing the position as a principled stance against genocide rather than antisemitism.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has clarified that he lacks the legal power to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes, walking back earlier suggestions he was considering such action.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to maintaining its ban on Israeli citizens entering the country, standing firm despite criticism from a group of eight United States congressmen who have challenged the policy.
Citizens International and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have rejected demands from eight US lawmakers to reverse Malaysia's policy barring Israeli nationals, calling the 15-day ultimatum an act of coercive diplomacy threatening national sovereignty.
Malaysia has reiterated its unwavering stance of not recognising Israel, with top government officials dismissing a letter from eight US Democratic congressmen as foreign interference that violates national sovereignty.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has firmly rejected criticism from eight US Congressmen over Malaysia's ban on Israeli citizens entering the country, saying the policy reflects the government's commitment to Palestinian rights.
New York's mayor has clarified that municipal authorities lack the legal power to enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pushing responsibility to US federal government officials.
The European Union has condemned Israel's approval of expanded settlement funding in the West Bank, warning that such measures threaten the viability of a two-state solution and violate international law.
EU foreign ministers are poised to discuss additional sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, though member states remain sharply divided on the scope and severity of any measures.
Andy Burnham, frontrunner to lead Britain's Labour Party, has pledged stronger action against Israel including additional sanctions over settlement expansion and alleged ceasefire breaches in Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem narrowly escaped an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Thursday, though his bodyguard was killed. The strike underscores escalating tensions amid reported ceasefire violations.