AbdulQadir7
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The Maldives has officially enacted a law banning entry to travelers holding Israeli passports, a move directly linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. On April 14, 2025, the Security Services Committee of the Maldivian Parliament passed the bill with unanimous support from 83 parliamentarians present, this legislation bans entry to all individuals traveling on Israeli passports until Israel ceases its attacks on the Palestinian people, specifically referencing the violence that began on October 7, 2023. However, the law does not extend the ban to Israelis who hold dual citizenship and enter the Maldives using passports from other countries, as the clause covering dual citizens was removed during committee deliberations.
The decision follows a cabinet resolution made on June 2, 2024, by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and his administration to amend immigration laws to prohibit Israeli passport holders from entering the country. The bill was initially proposed by opposition MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem in May 2024, aiming for a comprehensive ban including dual citizens, but was amended to focus solely on those presenting Israeli passports, despite criticism from some parliamentarians, including Meekail himself who argued that removing the dual citizenship clause weakened the bill’s effectiveness, the legislation passed unanimously.
The Maldives' larger position of sympathy with Palestine in the face of the continuing Gaza crisis includes this restriction, Israeli military operations, including attacks on Palestinian civilian places like the Rafah displaced persons camp, which caused numerous fatalities, have been denounced by the Maldivian government, in order to assist Palestinians, President Muizzu has also appointed a special envoy to evaluate their needs and started a fundraising campaign in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), under the banner "Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin" ("Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine"), preparations have also been made for a statewide march.
Citing challenges in delivering aid because of the political situation, Ban has led the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to warn its people not to visit the Maldives and to think about leaving if they are currently there, nearly 11,000 Israeli tourists visited the Maldives, a well-known luxury travel destination last year, this sums up only a small portion of all foreign visitors.
In the traditionally complicated relationship between Israel and the Maldives, this parliamentary step represents a major uptick, with a few agreements for cooperation in the late 2000s, the two nations diplomatic relations have deteriorated after 1965 till 1974, particularly in the wake of the Gaza conflicts, the Maldives have continuously stated their strong support for Palestinian statehood and denounced Israeli actions that they believe to be unlawful or provocative in violation of international law.
The decision follows a cabinet resolution made on June 2, 2024, by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and his administration to amend immigration laws to prohibit Israeli passport holders from entering the country. The bill was initially proposed by opposition MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem in May 2024, aiming for a comprehensive ban including dual citizens, but was amended to focus solely on those presenting Israeli passports, despite criticism from some parliamentarians, including Meekail himself who argued that removing the dual citizenship clause weakened the bill’s effectiveness, the legislation passed unanimously.
The Maldives' larger position of sympathy with Palestine in the face of the continuing Gaza crisis includes this restriction, Israeli military operations, including attacks on Palestinian civilian places like the Rafah displaced persons camp, which caused numerous fatalities, have been denounced by the Maldivian government, in order to assist Palestinians, President Muizzu has also appointed a special envoy to evaluate their needs and started a fundraising campaign in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), under the banner "Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin" ("Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine"), preparations have also been made for a statewide march.
Citing challenges in delivering aid because of the political situation, Ban has led the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to warn its people not to visit the Maldives and to think about leaving if they are currently there, nearly 11,000 Israeli tourists visited the Maldives, a well-known luxury travel destination last year, this sums up only a small portion of all foreign visitors.
In the traditionally complicated relationship between Israel and the Maldives, this parliamentary step represents a major uptick, with a few agreements for cooperation in the late 2000s, the two nations diplomatic relations have deteriorated after 1965 till 1974, particularly in the wake of the Gaza conflicts, the Maldives have continuously stated their strong support for Palestinian statehood and denounced Israeli actions that they believe to be unlawful or provocative in violation of international law.
