KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government in 2002 allowed Israel-based shipping company, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd, to dock at Malaysia’s ports as the country hoped that the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be resolved by the peace process at the time.

He added that the Malaysian government had at the time also allowed the Israeli cricket team to participate in an international tournament here to show Malaysians that they can co-exist with those from other faiths.

"Unfortunately, all those efforts were clearly in vain because Israel has continued to show its barbarism by killing Palestinians,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Dr Mahathir was responding to yesterday’s announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that ZIM was banned from docking at any Malaysian ports.

The 98-year-old explained that his administration had granted ZIM port access in the past to allow its ships passage but was not an indication of Malaysia’s support for Israel and its treatment of Palestinians.

"This is different from being a member and supporter of a pro-Zionist organisation that clearly supports Israel’s ambitions to wipe out Palestinians through genocide and mass murder,” he said.

Dr Mahathir, who is a vocal critic of Israel and its policies, said he supported the government’s decision to ban ZIM’s ships from docking at Malaysian ports.

"This is due to Israel’s extreme and inhumane actions against the Palestinian people that should be abhorred,” he said, adding that any form of protest should be taken if possible.

In 2002, the government began allowing ZIM’s ships to dock at Malaysian ports, followed by permission to land in 2005.

Prior to that, in 1997, the government also allowed the Israeli cricket team to participate in an international tournament in Kuala Lumpur.

Dr Mahathir was prime minister during that time and helmed the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.

Apart from ZIM ships, Anwar announced yesterday that the government had imposed a ban on ships flying the Israeli flag from docking at Malaysian ports.

Anwar said the ban is a direct response to Israel’s actions, which have been deemed a violation of basic humanitarian principles and international law through continuous massacres and atrocities against the Palestinian people.