Committee opposed to blanket ban on Israeli passport holders

Members of the Parliament’s Security Services Committee (241 Committee) expressed opposition to implementing a blanket ban on all Israeli passport holders on Thursday, though the original cabinet decision in June had been to implement such a change.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet made the decision to make legislative changes to ban Israeli passports on June 2. But the Parliament had already received a bill from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), seeking a blanket ban on travelers with Israeli passports.

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem’s bill, submitted on May 29, is designed to add a clause to Article 8 of Immigration Act, which lists individuals who are barred from entering the Maldives. It seeks to bar the entry of all Israeli passport holders, including those who have dual citizenship.

Following the cabinet’s decision, the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) decided to accept the bill into the Parliament, and make the changes the government wants during the committee stage.

It was sent to the National Security Services Committee for review with a unanimous vote on 88 on June 10. But work on the bill would remain stalled for the next five months.

The committee finally convened for a meeting regarding the bill on November 12. During this meeting, the committee set a February 2025 deadline to complete the review of the bill, deciding that extensive consultations with various stakeholders are required before making a decision.

The committee convened for a meeting again on Thursday morning, a day after the Parliament rejected an MDP resolution urging the expedition of the bill.

At Thursday’s meeting, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, who represents the Dhiggaru constituency, proposed consulting with relevant stakeholders, including tourism sector representatives, and obtaining necessary statistics.

He said that a lot of Israeli passport holders do not reside in Israel, but in other countries. He said that the committee needs to obtain data regarding this.

“Oftentimes, Israeli passport holders live in other countries. Especially in South Africa and in America. So, this person may be a citizen of another country who holds an Israeli passport,” said Nazim.

North Maafannu MP Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim said that the fact that the cabinet decided to implement a blanket ban does not mean the committee needs to decide the same.

“All in all, I would say we cannot implement a blanket [ban]. We need to identify the potential economic repercussions,” he said.

Other committee members expressed similar sentiments. They said a ban must be implemented only after extensive consultations with tourism sector stakeholders and based on a thorough analysis of statistics.

Nazim’s proposal was seconded by Kelaa MP Abdulla Shareef, who said that the Israelis who travel to the Maldives are few in number, and are generally surfers who travel to specific islands.

The committee members therefore voted to obtain necessary statistics and consult with relevant stakeholders.

The committee decided to consult with:

• Political parties
• Relevant government institutions
• Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI)
• Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO)
• Tourism NGOs

MDP has reportedly expressed concern over the delay in the bill. However, all emergency motions and resolutions submitted to the Parliament have been rejected, with the ruling PNC, which controls a supermajority of seats, questioning the opposition party’s true motives.

Back in June, Attorney General Usham said that a blanket ban on all Israeli citizens could create certain “complications," and said that his office would submit amendments to the bill. However, the government has yet to submit any amendments.

Mounting outrage over the atrocities in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories have sparked protests in the streets of the capital, Male’ City, with Maldivians demanding that the government ban Israeli citizens from entering the country.

Israel’s current war on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, has killed more than 43,900 Palestinians, many of them women and children. It has also reduced much of the Palestinian territory to rubble, displaced the vast majority of residents, and resulted in widespread malnutrition. The war has now expanded to neighboring Lebanon.