In a significant diplomatic move underscoring its alignment with the <a title="Palestine" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine">Palestinian</a> cause, the <a title="Maldives" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldives">Maldives</a> has officially banned individuals holding <a title="Israel passport" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel">Israeli</a> passports from entering the country. With this legislation, the Maldives becomes the 13th country to enforce such a restriction, joining a bloc of nations that includes Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen&mdash;many of which do not recognize the State of Israel.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act (Law No. 01/2007) on April 15, 2025, following its approval in the 20th sitting of the first session of the People&rsquo;s Majlis. The amendment introduces a new clause that explicitly bars entry to holders of Israeli passports into Maldivian territory.
The government stated that the ratification represents its "firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people." The Maldives reiterated its longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian cause, affirming its commitment to defending Palestinian rights on international platforms and calling for accountability for violations of international law.
President Muizzu, reflecting this policy shift, reiterated the Maldives&rsquo; unwavering support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital&mdash;aligned with United Nations resolutions and broader international legal frameworks.
The decision comes amid escalating Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have drawn widespread international criticism. The Maldives joins a cohort of countries that have either severed diplomatic relations with Israel or refused to normalize ties. While Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, and others have never recognized Israel, nations like Iraq and Saudi Arabia impose conditional entry&mdash;banning Israelis unless for specific business or religious purposes. Malaysia, for example, requires Israeli citizens to obtain special clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Interestingly, this move reverses a previous thaw in Maldivian-Israeli relations. The Maldives lifted its decades-long ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and even attempted to normalize relations in 2010. However, those efforts were abandoned after President Mohamed Nasheed&rsquo;s ouster in 2012.
Despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, the Maldives had remained a favored tourist destination among Israelis. In 2024 alone, nearly 11,000 Israeli nationals visited the island nation, accounting for 0.6% of total tourist arrivals. The new law marks a sharp pivot in the Maldives&rsquo; foreign policy posture and reinforces its positioning on the global stage as a vocal advocate for the Palestinian people.
With this legislative amendment, the Maldives further aligns itself with a bloc of Muslim-majority and non-recognizing nations that have refused normalization with Israel, highlighting the continuing geopolitical fallout from the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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Tourism hit as Maldives bans Israelis; joins 12 nations restricting Israeli nationals

Maldives Bans Entry to Israeli Passport Holders

Tourism hit as Maldives bans Israelis; joins 12 nations restricting Israeli nationals

April 15, 2025 | 15:30 IST