The Maldives government will ban Israelis from the Indian Ocean archipelago, known for luxury resorts. The latest move by Male came as public anger in the predominantly Muslim nation rose over the war in Gaza. The president’s office said Sunday that the Cabinet decided to change laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the country and to establish a subcommittee to oversee the process.
The decision was announced by Home Minister Ali Ihusan at an emergency press briefing at the President's Office, news portal Sun.mv reported. "The cabinet decided today to make the legal amendments necessary to ban entry into the Maldives on Israeli passports as soon as possible,” he said.
While the cabinet decided to ban Israeli passports, the actual implementation of the decision will require legal reforms, the news portal reported.
It said President Mohamed Muizu will appoint a special envoy to assess the Palestinian needs and to launch a fundraising campaign. Nearly 11,000 Israelis visited Maldives last year, which was 0.6% of the total tourist arrivals.
Israel advises its citizens to avoid travelling Maldives
Soon after the announcement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry also recommended its citizens refrain from travelling to Maldives. It is worth mentioning that the Gaza conflict began on October 7 after Hamas initiated an attack on Israel, killing over 800 and capturing 240 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel launched a massive counter-offensive against the Palestinian militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. More than 36,000 people, including women and children, have been killed in Gaza in Israeli action, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
(With inputs from agencies)
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