Israeli Foreign Ministry has implored their citizens to leave Maldives following the country's announcement to take fast action to ban entry of Israeli passports into Maldives, urging Israelis to cease trips to Maldives altogether.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ordered Israeli residents to leave Maldives following the Maldivian government's decision to amend laws to ban entry of Israeli passport holders.
The travel advisory published by the Israeli government on Sunday had advised Israeli residents currently in Maldives to leave the country. The country's Foreign Ministry stated that assisting their citizens already in Maldives will be difficult should they find themselves in distress and further urged Israelis to refrain from travelling to Maldives, including those holding passports from another country.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's cabinet had reached a decision yesterday to enforce necessary amendments to the law to prohibit entry of Israeli passport holders into the country in response to calls from local citizens, who have taken to the streets to protest against the Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip. The country has also formed a special cabinet committee to proceed this initiative.
Local media, Mihaaru News reports that the country had observed 11,000 Israeli tourist arrivals last year. However, this is a 30 percent decline from the previous year. The country saw 528 visits from Israeli nationals between December last year and April 2024.
Israeli citizens are currently placed 72nd in the list of tourist nationals visiting Maldives. Statistics indicate that Israeli visits into Maldives has been gradually declining since last year.
The cabinet meeting held on Sunday had deliberated additional measures to be enforced in Maldives in solidarity with Palestine. This includes designating a special envoy to address Palestinian requests received by the country, organizing fundraising activities in cooperation with the the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians Refugees in the Near East, a special 'Maldivians with Palestine' march held at a national capacity alongside initiating meetings with other Islamic nations to deliberate a fast solution to the Palestinian cause.
While Maldives has recently observed a notable rise in protests against the ongoing genocide in Palestine, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu himself had condemned Israel's relentless attacks in Gaza. The Maldives has cast several votes and delivered multiple statements advocating for the Palestinian cause during UN meetings as well.
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