The ban on the Indian Ocean archipelago comes in solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza who face relentless attacks and mass starvation.
The Maldivian government will ban Israelis from the Indian Ocean archipelago, known for its white sand beaches and luxury resorts, as public anger grows in the predominantly Muslim nation over the war in Gaza.
President Mohamed Muizzu “has decided to impose a ban on Israeli passports,” a spokesperson for his office said in a statement, without giving details on when the new law will come into force.
Muizzu also announced a national fundraising campaign called “Maldives in Solidarity with Palestine”. Almost 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives last year, which represented 0.6% of total tourist arrivals.
Official data also shows that the number of Israelis visiting the Maldives fell to 528 in the first four months of this year, an 88 percent drop compared to the corresponding period last year.
Opposition parties and government allies in the Maldives have been pressuring Muizzu to ban Israelis as a sign of protest against the war in Gaza. At least 36,439 Palestinians have been killed and 82,627 injured in the conflict since October 7.
‘They were good’
The Maldives lifted a previous ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and took steps to restore relations in 2010. However, attempts at normalization were thwarted following the overthrow of President Mohamed Nasheed in February 2012.
In response to the ban, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged citizens currently in the Maldives to leave. “For Israeli citizens who remain in the country, it is recommended that they consider leaving, as if they become in danger for any reason, it will be difficult for us to help.”
Israeli passport holders were also not allowed to enter Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.
In a publication on X de Março, the State of Israel said: “We are fine”, in response to a publication about entry bans from these countries, which were in force before the start of the ongoing war in Gaza.
They were good pic.twitter.com/GmiwEzZGck
—Israel ישראל (@Israel) March 14, 2024
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
