The amendment to the Immigration Act, which would ban Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives, was initially introduced in parliament by Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on 29 May last year.
A decision on a proposed amendment to the law banning Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives, in response to Israeli atrocities against the people of Palestine, has been delayed once again.
The amendment to the Immigration Act, which would ban Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives, was initially introduced in parliament by Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on 29 May last year.
The bill was accepted and referred to the Committee on National Security Services (241), where it has since stalled.
Multiple deadlines have been set for the bill, which has remained "parked" in committee for months. Initially, the committee aimed to complete work on it by February this year. Amid mounting pressure, a new target was set for December last year, but little progress was made.
When asked about the delay, 241 Committee vice-chairperson and People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falaah told Mihaaru News that work on the bill was ongoing and proceeding at a very fast pace.
Falaah said the issue was sensitive and required extensive discussions. As a result, the committee had decided to finalize the bill by July.
The committee previously resolved to consult all political parties, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministries of Economic Development and Trade, Tourism, and Transport, as well as Immigration authorities, the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), and other NGOs. Some consultations have taken place, and their views have been sought.
President Mohamed Muizzu’s government announced on July 2 last year that it would ban Israeli passport holders from entering Maldives.
However, MP Mohamed Ibrahim has written to foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel asking why the decision has not yet been enforced.
In a written response, Khaleel said the ban could have been implemented through an amendment to the Immigration Act, but this had not happened because parliament had yet to complete its work.
The proposed ban was submitted to parliament in May and accepted by the committee, but the opposition MDP and members of the public have criticized the government and the ruling PNC, which holds a parliamentary super-majority, over the delay.
While the Israeli passport ban remains in limbo, several other bills submitted by PNC MPs on behalf of the government have been passed and ratified in a short period.
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