Maldives to ban Israeli passports over Gaza war

Male: The Maldives government has decided to amend the country’s laws to ban Israeli passports in the wake of the Israeli attacks in Gaza.
The decision was announced by Home Minister Ali Ihusan, in an emergency press briefing at the President’s Office on late Sunday afternoon.
According to Ihusan, the decision was made during a cabinet meeting held earlier in the day.
“The cabinet decided today to make the legal amendments necessary to ban entry into the Maldives of Israeli passports as soon as possible,” he said, news reports said.
The cabinet has set up a special committee to expedite the process.
The committee includes, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Zameer, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Tourism, Ibrahim Faisal and Attorney General Ahmed Usham.
The move is expected to send a clear message of disapproval regarding the ongoing situation in Gaza.
The cabinet also made four other key decisions with regard to Palestine.
To appoint a special presidential envoy to inquire about the areas in which Palestine requires support from Maldives
To hold fundraisers to assist Palestinians through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
To hold a nationwide rally under the slogan ‘Faladheenaa Eku Dhiveheen’, which translates to ‘Maldivians in solidarity with Palestine’.
To hold discussions with other Muslim nations to expedite a solution to the Palestinian conflict
The Maldives has been vocal about its support for an independent Palestinian state. Since President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu took office, these efforts have intensified, with the Maldives representing Palestine in various international forums.
The Maldives sees over one million tourist arrivals each year, which includes around 15,000 tourists from Israel.
The decision by the Maldivian government to ban Israeli passports comes after Meekail Ahmed Naseem, a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), submitted an amendment to the Immigration Act last week, to bar the entry of Israeli citizens.
The new parliamentary assembly, which took office last week, is set to hold its second sitting on Monday. The main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) holds a supermajority at the Parliament, with 75 out of 93 seats.
UNI