Israeli sentenced to 7 years in Malaysian prison

Police were suspicious that Avitan was a Mossad spy, but they eventually accepted his explanation that he was there to settle a dispute with another criminal.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli known to be involved in organized crime was sentenced by a Malaysian court to seven years in prison, accepting a plea bargain after he was charged with weapons offenses.

Shalom Avitan entered Malaysia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, using a French passport, according to a report from Hebrew-language outlet Mako.

Avitan was said to have traveled to the Muslim country in April 2024 with the goal of assassinating another Israeli organized crime figure, Eran Haya, with whom he had an ongoing criminal dispute in Israel.

He was arrested after purchasing weapons and ammunition from a local Malaysian couple, who are also facing criminal charges.

Several days after his arrival in Malaysia, police raided Avitan’s hotel room in Kuala Lumpur, seizing six guns and 158 bullets.

Initially, police were suspicious that Avitan was a Mossad spy, but they eventually accepted his explanation that he was there to settle a dispute with another criminal.

The trial was postponed multiple times due to Avitan’s demand for a Hebrew-language interpreter. One could not be found locally, and due to the lack of relations between Malaysia and Israel, a Hebrew interpreter could not be brought from the Jewish state.

After numerous delays, Avitan opted to accept a plea deal of seven years in prison.

Avitan is “being held in difficult conditions,” a friend told Mako.

“The prisons in the country are that of a third-world country, and even worse. I hope for his sake that he survives prison.”

The southeast Asian country maintains a hostile public stance towards Israel.

In January 2025, Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry “unequivocally” condemned Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip, claiming that the IDF engages in “incessant and targeted” actions against civilians.

In December 2023, Malaysia banned Israeli ships from docking at its ports due to the IDF’s military campaign against Hamas.