The Maldives government said on Sunday that it will ban Israeli passport holders from entering the archipelago in retaliation for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, signaling the Muslim-majority country’s growing opposition to the war.
In a statement announcing the travel embargo, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said that he has “resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passports” and will direct cabinet officials to direct the process. He did not provide a date for when the ban will take effect.
“The Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts,” his statement read in part.
President Muizzu further indicated that he will appoint a special envoy to Palestine to assess the needs of the local people as the Israel-Hamas war continues. This will be accompanied by a national fundraising campaign called “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine” to direct resources to the embattled region through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
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Maldives, a luxury tourist destination comprised of more than 1,000 coral islets in the southern Indian Ocean, has had a contentious relationship with Israel for decades. A previous ban on Israeli tourists was lifted in the 1990s, and efforts were made to open communication with Israel in 2010. However, those normalization efforts were scuttled in 2012 when then-President Mohamed Nasheed was ousted.
Maldives citizens are required to be Muslims, and government officials must be adherents of Sunni Islam. Additionally, a 2022 report indicated that more Maldivians per capita traveled to Syria to fight for ISIS than any other country.
In December, Israel warned citizens—even those with foreign passports—to avoid traveling to Maldives given the “increased anti-Israel sentiment” among the population. Following Muizzu’s announcement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry urged any citizens vacationing in the country to leave immediately.
“For Israeli citizens already in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, because if they find themselves in distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to assist,” the ministry said.
Israeli authorities instead urged citizens to visit the beaches of India’s Lakshadweep islands given the country’s much friendlier relationship with the Jewish homeland.
“Thanks to the Maldives Government’s decision Israelis can now explore the beautiful beaches of Lakshadweep,” Kobbi Shoshani, the counsel general of Israel to Mumbai, wrote in a post on X.
Thanks to the Maldives Government's decision Israelis can now explore the beautiful beaches of #Lakshadweep. https://t.co/1K2NtG922M
— Kobbi Shoshani 🇮🇱 (@KobbiShoshani) June 3, 2024
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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