Effective immediately, all Israelis are banned from visiting the Republic of Maldives in a move of "solidarity with the Palestinian people," the country's president said.
"The ratification reflects the government's firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people," Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu wrote in an official statement shared by the government of Maldives on X Tuesday.
"The Maldives reaffirms its resolute solidarity with the Palestinian cause," he added.
President Dr Muizzu ratifies Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act, prohibiting entry of Israeli passport holders. pic.twitter.com/7BWqOIGrNV
— Government of Maldives (@governmentmv) April 15, 2025
Muizzu's office reiterated his support "for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international legal norms."
The latest move comes after Muizzu banned Israeli passports in June 2024. The decision was delayed, however, according to Haaretz, because Palestinian citizens of Israel would have also been affected by the ban.
— Government of Maldives (@governmentmv) April 15, 2025
The Maldives are one of 28 nations that do not recognize Israel as a sovereign nation and therefore do not accept any Israeli passports; seven of the 28 nations do not admit entry to non-Israelis with ties to Israel. As a result, Israeli immigration services have mostly ceased stamping entry and exit stamps in all passports.
The country's latest show of solidarity with the Palestinian people comes as the death toll in the West Bank and Gaza Strip climbs to more than 52,000 since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the UN.
Since March 2, Israeli forces have been blocking aid, including food, water, medicine and shelter, from entering Gaza to force Hamas into handing over the 50 remaining hostages while reportedly continuing to bomb hospitals, schools and refugee camps. Additionally, more than 1,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children, have been killed since Israel broke the two-month-old ceasefire with Hamas on March 18.
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