New Delhi: Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, following a recommendation from the Cabinet, has resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passport holders over the country's ongoing war on Gaza.
The Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihsaan, announced the decision at a news conference held at the President's Office on Sunday 2 June afternoon, a press statement issued by the Maldives's president office said.
According to sources, the Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives and establishing a cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts.
Additionally, in the case of Palestine and Israel, the President decided to appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs.
The President further decided to set up a fundraising campaign to assist “our brothers and sisters in Palestine with the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and to conduct a nationwide rally under the slogan "Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin," which translates to "Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine" to show support.
The Maldives had lifted a previous ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and moved to restore relations in 2010.
Maldivian President recently condemned the attack by the Israeli forces on the tent camp in Rafah. “Strongly condemn the deadly attack by Israeli forces on the tent camp in Rafah, where displaced Palestinians were taking shelter. Israel must abide by the ICJ rulings. No country is exempt from international law. Together with the Government and people of Maldives, I call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to violence and unhindered humanitarian access,” Muizzu said in a post on X.
On Sunday, the President welcomed the decision of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA77) to align the State of Palestine's participation in the Assembly, with its participation in the United Nations.
In his post on X, the President expressed the Maldives' support for “all efforts to realise Palestine's full statehood. In a press statement released over the matter, the President highlighted that the Maldives was among the 101 countries that voted in favour of the resolution and enhanced Palestine's rights at the World Health Organization (WHO), portraying it as a sign of increased global support for Palestine's full statehood.
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