Right, so Malaysia has taken possession of three Israel-bound containers, which are now hanging around one of Southeast Asia's busiest ports like lost luggage. They have been sitting there since 19 August without batting an eyelid, awaiting divine intervention or for someone in Tel Aviv to explain why a Malaysian port should do as it’s told.

Malaysia has banned Israeli shipping and Israel-bound cargo since 2023, which, if you were already aware of this, might make you wonder what all the fuss is about now. And it’s a case of, they always made an exception when they get to play the middle man. Transhipment as its called, where cargo gets offloaded from one vessel to another, without ever being imported, so Malaysia don’t technically handle the goods, they just let others do it instead.

That changed on 7 August however, when Malaysian b ...