Israeli tourists barred from Maldives as act of support for Palestinians

The Maldives has officially prohibited entry to Israeli passport holders, expressing support for Palestinians in light of the conflict that escalated following Hamas’s violent actions on October 7, 2023.

The Maldives has declared a ban on Israeli visitors to its luxurious tourist islands, expressing strong support for the Palestinian people.

President Mohamed Muizzu signed the law shortly after parliamentary approval on Tuesday.

His office stated, “The ratification demonstrates the government’s unwavering position against the ongoing atrocities and acts of genocide perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people.”

The Maldives reiterates its steadfast commitment to the Palestinian cause.

The revised Immigration Act prohibits entry for individuals holding Israeli passports, but those with dual nationality can still enter using documents other than their Israeli ones.

This ban will take effect immediately, according to a spokesperson for Muizzu.

Known for its pristine white beaches and turquoise lagoons, the Maldives is a small Islamic republic made up of 1,192 coral islets.

Since the adoption of the 2008 constitution, citizens and anyone wishing to become citizens is required by law to nominally follow Sunni Islam.

In 2023, over 11,000 Israelis traveled to the Maldives, but the number of visitors plummeted in early 2024.

Official statistics revealed that only 59 Israeli tourists visited the islands in February, out of a total of 214,000 foreign arrivals.

The Maldives, whose population of 530,000 is more than 98% Muslim had previously lifted a ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and briefly sought to restore relations in 2010.

This action is in response to a Cabinet proposal from 2024 and is driven by increasing domestic demands for a firmer position on the conflict.

Both opposition parties and government allies have been urging Muizzu to impose this ban as a protest against the Gaza conflict.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has urged all citizens, regardless of any additional nationality, to refrain from traveling to the Maldives and has suggested that those already in the country should think about departing due to restricted consular assistance.

Muizzu has also revealed intentions to designate a special envoy tasked with assessing humanitarian requirements in the Palestinian territories, alongside initiating a national fundraising initiative titled ‘Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine.’

The Gaza conflict escalated following an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli data.

Gaza’s health ministry reported on Sunday that at least 1,613 Palestinians have died since March 18, when a ceasefire ended, bringing the total death toll since the war’s onset to 50,983.