Bill seeks to ban Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives

A bill to amend the Immigration Act has been submitted to the Parliament seeking to ban individuals holding Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives in a show of protest against the brutal attacks on Palestinians by Israel.

The bill was submitted to the parliament by main opposition MDP’s South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem.

According to the bill, it is aimed at paving the way towards decisive action from the Maldives against Israel’s ongoing genocidal acts on Palestinians.

The bill underscores that a resolution calling to ban individuals holding Israeli passport holders from entering to the Maldives was passed during the 19^th parliamentary assembly. Nevertheless, it stresses that the government, so far, has not clarified its course of action on the matter, nor when the ban can be enforced. Henceforth, the bill, proposing a direct amendment to the law was submitted to expedite the passport ban.

The bill proposed to include an additional provision in Article 8 of the Immigration Act setting forth persons prohibited from entering the Maldives to state persons holding Israeli passport or dual passports with Israeli passport.

As the first order of business in the 20th Parliament of Maldives, on behalf of the MDP’s Parliamentary Group, I have today submitted an amendment to the Immigration Act banning Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives. #CeasefireNow ???????? pic.twitter.com/yZncFpvoK9

— Meekail Naseem ???? (@MickailNaseem) May 30, 2024

The resolution referenced in the bill calling for a ban on Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives was submitted by then-Villingili MP Saud Husain on October 16^th. The MDP-dominated 19^th parliamentary assembly passed the resolution of April 7^th – after the change in administration.

Protests have been held across various parts of Maldives calling to ban Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives. Israeli tourists have also been removed from the islands upon their arrival.

The government has come under strong scrutiny for its failure to ban Israeli passports.

Ruling party PNC holds a supermajority in the incumbent 20^th parliamentary assembly with 75 seats out of 93. MDP only secured 12 seats; the lowest ever in the party’s history.

The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas's October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 Israelis. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 35,903 people in Gaza, mostly women and children.