Maldives Locks In Total Ban on Israeli Passport Holders
(MENAFN) The Maldives will bar Israeli passport holders from entering the country with no exceptions, President Mohamed Muizzu said Monday, according to a statement from his office.
Addressing a news conference at the President’s Office, Muizzu said new immigration legislation would impose an unconditional entry ban on Israeli passport holders, one that would hold regardless of how circumstances change.
Earlier drafts would have kept the prohibition in place only until Israel ended what he called the genocide against Palestinians, which began in October 2023. The new bill removes that condition, Muizzu said.
He characterized Israel’s actions against Palestinians as genocide and declared that admitting Israeli passport holders to the Maldives was unacceptable.
The president also restated the Indian Ocean nation’s backing for the Palestinian cause, saying his government had repeatedly defended that stance on international platforms and through legal channels. He said the proposed immigration bill was drafted to put the government’s position into law.
The Maldives first barred Israeli passport holders in April 2025, after Muizzu ratified amendments to the Immigration Act that parliament had approved. He said then that the move reflected solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
That original ban was linked to Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The new legislation would sever that link and make the restriction permanent whatever happens next.
The Maldives has long supported an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with UN resolutions.
Addressing a news conference at the President’s Office, Muizzu said new immigration legislation would impose an unconditional entry ban on Israeli passport holders, one that would hold regardless of how circumstances change.
Earlier drafts would have kept the prohibition in place only until Israel ended what he called the genocide against Palestinians, which began in October 2023. The new bill removes that condition, Muizzu said.
He characterized Israel’s actions against Palestinians as genocide and declared that admitting Israeli passport holders to the Maldives was unacceptable.
The president also restated the Indian Ocean nation’s backing for the Palestinian cause, saying his government had repeatedly defended that stance on international platforms and through legal channels. He said the proposed immigration bill was drafted to put the government’s position into law.
The Maldives first barred Israeli passport holders in April 2025, after Muizzu ratified amendments to the Immigration Act that parliament had approved. He said then that the move reflected solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
That original ban was linked to Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The new legislation would sever that link and make the restriction permanent whatever happens next.
The Maldives has long supported an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with UN resolutions.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment