THE Maldives has changed its immigration law to bar Israeli passport holders from the country over the war in Gaza.
The amendment was passed by parliament on Monday and approved by President Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday, according to the president’s office.
The cabinet made the decision nearly a year ago, but the government did not formalise it until this week.
“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,” the statement said.
The Maldives is a tiny archipelago state south of India known as a high-end tourist destination.
It is predominantly a Sunni Muslim nation where preaching and practicing other faiths is legally banned.
Last year in June, Israel advised its citizens to leave the country after its government announced that it would ban the entry of Israeli nationals.
According to the latest available immigration statistics, 59 people with Israeli passports entered the Maldives in February.
Israeli tourists comprised nearly 0.6 % of total tourist arrivals in the Maldives last year, which is nearly 11,000 tourists.
A total of 528 Israeli nationals visited the Maldives in the first four months of 2024, dropping from 4644 during the same period in 2023, according to Maldives government data.
