The Israeli Foreign Ministry recommended on Sunday that its citizens refrain from traveling to the Maldives after the Maldivian government banned their entry. Earlier today, the Maldivian government decided to prohibit holders of Israeli passports from entering the country amid increasing public outrage over the ongoing Israeli war against Gaza that began on October 7, 2023.
According to the newspaper "The Sun," Interior Minister Ali Ihsan stated on Sunday, "The Cabinet decided today to amend the necessary legislation to prevent entry to the Maldives with Israeli passports as quickly as possible." He added that the decision was made during a Cabinet meeting held earlier today, and he noted that to expedite the implementation of this decision, the Cabinet has formed a special committee that includes the Interior Minister, the Attorney General, and Ministers of Economy, Tourism, and Foreign Affairs.
The Cabinet also decided to appoint a special presidential envoy to study areas where Palestine needs support from the Maldives, to raise funds to assist Palestinians through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to hold a national march under the slogan "Maldives Stands with Palestine," and to initiate talks with other Islamic nations to accelerate a resolution to the Palestinian conflict.
The Maldivian government's decision to ban Israeli passports comes after the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party, and its representative Mika'il Ahmed Naseem proposed an amendment to immigration law last week to prevent the entry of Israeli citizens.
