Maldives praised on Al Jazeera for decision to cut off trade agreements with Israel

The Maldives has been praised by Palestinian-American journalist Ali Abunimah on Al Jazeera, for its decision to dissolve three agreements with the State of Israel, and efforts towards boycotting Israeli products.

Speaking on the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, Ali Abunimah said, “Boycott Israel. Boycott its goods. I mean, even the little Maldives today - the tiny Maldives - cut off trade agreements with Israel. If the Maldives is not afraid of Israel, why are the United States and the European Union, and Arab States so terrified of challenging Israel and its horrible crimes?”

Ali Abunimah has been described as the leading American proponent of a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is the co-founder of Electronic Intifada, a not-for-profit, independent online publication which covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective; and has also served as the Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Arab American Action Network. He has appeared on many television discussion programs on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on networks such as CNN.

The Maldivian government announced yesterday that three agreements signed with the Israeli government have been dissolved, and discussions are ongoing to prohibit the import of Israeli products to Maldives.

Speaking at yesterday’s press conference, Minister at the President’s Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef said that Israeli goods consists of a small percentage of imports to the Maldives and that Maldives will reject investors from Israel in the future.