President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that a new immigration bill submitted to Parliament seeks to impose an unconditional and indefinite ban on Israeli passport holders entering the Maldives, removing the circumstances under which the existing restriction could be reconsidered.
Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office on Monday, the President said the proposed legislation would establish a permanent legal restriction on entry for individuals travelling on Israeli passports, regardless of future developments in Gaza.
The Maldives already prohibits entry to Israeli passport holders under an amendment to the existing Immigration Act. However, Muizzu explained that the current restriction was introduced in response to events following 7 October 2023 and was linked to the situation in Gaza.
According to the President, the existing provision was intended to remain in force until Israel ceased its actions in Gaza and circumstances changed.
The new bill, however, removes that conditional approach, seeking to establish a prohibition that would not depend on a ceasefire, political developments or changes in the conflict.
Muizzu emphasised that the proposed legislation explicitly prevents anyone holding an Israeli passport from entering the Maldives, without providing for the restriction to be lifted automatically if conditions in Gaza improve.
“In the current bill, without linking it to such conditions, we have absolutely stated that no individual holding an Israeli passport can come to the Maldives,” the President said.
He added that the government’s position was being expressed firmly and unequivocally, stressing that the proposed restriction was not connected to any temporary condition.
The President described Israel’s actions against Palestinians in Gaza as genocide and said the Maldives considered them entirely unacceptable.
He maintained that the decision to prohibit Israeli passport holders from entering the country reflected the wishes of the Maldivian people and the government’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause.
Muizzu also highlighted the Maldives’ diplomatic and legal efforts concerning Israel, saying the country had taken unprecedented steps to challenge Israeli actions through international mechanisms.
He noted that the Maldives had, for the first time, intervened in cases brought against Israel before international courts, describing the move as part of the country’s efforts to pursue accountability through international law.
The President said the Maldives continued to raise its position on Israel and the Palestinian territories across international platforms, maintaining its opposition to Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The proposed immigration legislation represents a further step in the government’s policy towards Israel, moving from a restriction linked to developments in Gaza towards an unconditional prohibition under the country’s immigration framework.
The bill will require parliamentary consideration and approval before its provisions can become law. Until then, the existing restrictions on Israeli passport holders remain in effect.
