The Maldives is banning Israeli passport holders from entering its territory due to the Israeli State’s ongoing war on Hamas in Gaza. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said in a statement he had “resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passports” without making public further details.
Troubled relations
The idyllic white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean republic do not form a major draw for Israeli citizens, with only around 11,000 Israelis choosing to make the trip in 2023, accounting for just 0.6% of total tourist arrivals. That figure fell to just 528 for the first quarter of 2024, an 88% drop compared to the same period the year before.
We are not killing anyone, but they put barricades in front of us while raising our voices for Palestine. This 2024 alone 500+ Israelis visited Maldives and spent their holidays relaxing on our beaches without any barricades!
— RilwanLatheef (@RilwanLatheef_) June 2, 2024
Ban Israel Passport. pic.twitter.com/1KLCCOHoSJ
But affairs between the Maldives and Israel have long been troubled. A previous ban on Israeli tourists travelling to the archipelago existed until the 1990s and relations were not restored until 2010 in a détente led by President Mohamed Nasheed, until he was ousted in 2012.
“Maldivians in Solidarity”
More recently, President Muizzu has come under pressure from all sides of the political spectrum in the Maldives to take a tougher stance towards Israel, which, at the time of writing, has killed 36,439 Palestinians in response to a deadly Hamas incursion and kidnapping campaign in October 2023. That pressure has intensified amid Israel’s widely condemned recent action against refugee camps in Rafah and investigations into Israeli war crimes by the International Court of Justice.
Last week, Muizzu called for “an immediate ceasefire, an end to violence and unhindered humanitarian access,” in a post on X. He has now announced the appointment of a special Palestinian envoy, and a rally to drive national camaraderie with Palestinians under the banner of “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine.” And, in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Muizzu has established a fund to assist “brothers and sisters” in the Gaza Strip.
Do not travel warning
The ban on Israeli passports will necessitate legislation, which will be led by a subcommittee, the president’s office said. The republic joins Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen in closing its doors to Israeli passport holders.
Meanwhile Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Israelis not to travel to the island nation and highlighted its inability to intervene diplomatically in case of emergency. “For Israeli citizens staying in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, since if they fall into distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to help”, the Ministry said.