Nasheed says MDP will not support Israel and criticizes government’s foreign policy direction

Former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairman Mohamed Nasheed has responded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks that MDP governments implemented policies to maintain relations with Israel.

Speaking at the official Independence Day ceremony on Tuesday, President Muizzu said that whenever the MDP came to power, it pursued a policy “in support of Israel”.

Referring to the comments, Nasheed said that when politicians take the podium, there are often calls from supporters to “give it to them” and suggested the President may have spoken in that spirit during his Independence Day address.

“[The President] stood on the podium with absolutely no mind of the state emblem being on the podium, absolutely no idea of who were sitting in front of him, whether it was the police, army chiefs or the dignitaries of the state,” Nasheed said.

"އެއްގޮތަކަށްވެސް ހަނދުމަފުޅެއްނެތް ކުރިމަތީގައި ތިއްބެވީ ފުލުހުނާއި ސިފައިންގެ ވެރިންކަމެއް. އަދި ދިވެހި ދައުލަތުގެ އިއްޒަތްތެރިންކަމެއް. ހެސްކިޔާފަ އެމްޑީޕީއަށް އަޅާލީ. އަޅުގަނޑު މިއަދު މިހުރީ އެއްވެސްހާލެއްގަ ރައީސް ޑރ.މުއިއްޒުއަށް އަޅާލާކަށެއްނޫން. އެހެންނަމަވެސް… pic.twitter.com/b61mx4AkW6

— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) July 29, 2026

He added that he was not speaking “to vent” in the same way but said the President’s speech and the way the government is conducting foreign policy needed to be carefully noted.

Addressing the President’s Israel remark directly, Nasheed said:

“Who will support Israel? Who will forget the inhuman acts of the Israeli government that we are seeing on our TVs? Who will support Israel? The MDP will not support Israel.”

Nasheed said the MDP would “always be with the Palestinian people” and described them as a people who have consistently struggled for freedom.

Nasheed then turned to wider criticism of the current administration’s foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Muizzu in March regarding Iran. He said the President had spoken in a way that could be interpreted as encouraging attacks on “a fellow Islamic country dear to Maldives”.

"ރައީސް ޑރ.މުއިއްޒު މިއަހަރުގެ މާރޗް މަހު އީރާނަށް އިޝާރަތްކޮށް ވިދާޅުވެއްޖެ ބޮންއަޅާށޭ. ރަނގަޅަށް ހަލާކުވަންދެން ބޮންއަޅާށޭ. އަޅަން މިވިދާޅުވަނީ އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ އެކުވެރި އިސްލާމު ޤައުމުތަކަށް" އެމްޑީޕީގެ ޗެއަރޕާސަން ރައީސް @MohamedNasheed

އެމްޑީޕީ ހަރުގެ ޖަލްސާ pic.twitter.com/PsG86ArBd4

— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) July 29, 2026

He claimed the comments were made while a United States Special Representative for Asia was in Maldives, and alleged that the President cancelled a scheduled meeting with the envoy and later appeared at another podium bearing the state emblem to speak about Iran.

“This will be a huge loss to the Maldivian state and the Maldivian people,” Nasheed said, arguing that such rhetoric could harm Maldives’ relations with Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia and Gulf states, from whom Maldives seeks support and cooperation.

In his speech on 23 March, President Muizzu had said that attacks in the Middle East should not be carried out by any party, and that if Iran were to attack, it should target Israel directly. He also said Maldives would not accept attacks on any Islamic state.

Interesting to note: While it is true that the first MDP administration under Nasheed signed non-diplomatic cooperation accords with Israel in areas such as health, tourism and education, the second MDP government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih publicly denied pursuing formal diplomatic ties with Israel. Under Solih, the government maintained that diplomatic relations remained suspended and repeatedly voiced support for Palestinian statehood at international forums, including the United Nations.