Maldives bans entry of Israeli citizens

The Maldives has announced a ban on entry of Israeli citizens into the country for committing genocide of the oppressed Palestinians in Gaza.

According to foreign media, a government spokesman said in a statement that the president has decided to ban Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives. However, he did not say when the new law would come into effect. The Maldives has also announced a national fundraising campaign in solidarity with Palestine.

About 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives last year, accounting for 0.6 percent of total tourist arrivals, while the number of Israelis visiting the Maldives in the first four months of this year dropped to 528 – 88 per cent less than the same period last year, the report said.

It should be noted that opposition parties and government allies in the Maldives were pressuring the president to impose a ban on Israelis as a sign of protest against the Gaza war.

The Maldives lifted its ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and decided to restore relations in 2010.