The Maldives, known for its luxury resorts, has announced it will ban Israelis from entering the country, the president’s office said, amid growing public anger in the Muslim-majority country over the war in Gaza.
President Mohamed Muizz had “decided to ban the issuance of Israeli passports,” a presidential spokesman said in a statement, without providing details on when the new law would come into effect.
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday advised Israeli citizens not to travel to the Maldives, including Israelis with dual citizenship, it said.
“We encourage Israeli nationals already in Israel to consider leaving the country, as it will be difficult for us to assist them if they find themselves in need for any reason,” the ministry said in a statement.
Maldivian opposition parties and government allies are pressuring Muizz to ban Israelis from entering the country as a sign of protest against the Gaza war.
The presidency said Sunday that the cabinet had decided to amend the law preventing Israeli passport holders from entering the country and to set up a subcommittee to oversee the process.
Muizz also announced a nationwide fundraising campaign called “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine.”
The Maldives lifted its ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and moved to repair ties in 2010.
But attempts at normalization faltered after then-President Mohamed Nasheed was ousted in February 2012.
The Maldives is a tiny Islamic republic made up of more than 1,000 strategically placed coral islets, known for its secluded white sand beaches, shallow turquoise lagoons and Robinson Crusoe-style resorts.
According to official data, the number of Israelis visiting the Maldives in the first four months of this year fell to 528, a drop of 88 percent compared to the same period last year.
About 11,000 Israelis are expected to visit the Maldives in 2023, representing 0.6% of the total tourist arrivals.
Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters
