The Maldives has imposed a blanket ban on Israeli citizens from visiting to protest against ‘ongoing acts of genocide’ in Gaza and to show ‘solidarity’ with the Palestinian people.
President Mohamed Muizzu approved legislation that was passed by the country’s parliament on Tuesday.
The decision comes in “resolute solidarity” with the Palestinian people, the office of President Mohamed Muizzu said in a statement.
A statement from his office said: ‘The ratification reflects the government’s firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.’
‘The Maldives reaffirms its resolute solidarity with the Palestinian cause,’ the statement added.
It remains unclear whether the ban extends to dual nationals holding both Israeli and other passports.
Israel, which firmly rejects accusations of genocide, previously warned its citizens not to travel to the Maldives because of mounting anti-Israeli sentiment following the October 7 Hamas attacks and the war in Gaza.
Official data showed that only 59 Israeli tourists visited the luxury tourist archipelago in February, among 214,000 other foreign arrivals.
The ban will take immediate effect and apply to all of the country’s 1,192 coral islets.
The Maldives, whose population of 530,000 is more than 98 per cent Muslim, previously lifted a ban on Israeli tourists in the 1990s and tried to resume normal relations in 2010, though diplomatic efforts stalled in 2012.
Opposition parties and government allies in the Maldives have been pressuring Mr Muizzu to ban Israelis as a statement of opposition to the Gaza war.