Abbas: Banning Israel passport the best and harshest measure possible on a national level

Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas, on Tuesday, has described banning Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives as the best and harshest measure that can be implemented by the Maldives at a national level.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet made the decision to make legislative changes to ban Israeli passports on June 2, 2024.

At the time, Parliament had already received a bill from South Galolhu MP Mohamed Meekail Naseem seeking a blanket ban on travelers with Israeli passports.

The bill, submitted on May 29, 2024, was designed to add a clause to Article 8 of Immigration Act, which lists individuals who are barred from entering the Maldives.

It sought to bar the entry of all Israeli passport holders, including those with dual citizenship.

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

But the bill, which was sent to the Security Services (241) Committee on June 10, had remained stymied.

On Monday, over 300 days after the Maldivian administration announced its decision to ban Israelis from entering the Maldives, the Security Services Committee passed the bill, but with major amendments.

The bill has been overhauled to stipulate a ban on entries on Israeli passports “until Israel stops the inhumane attacks it launched on Palestinian people on October 7, 2023.” Meanwhile, the clause which stipulates that the ban should also extend to Israelis who have dual citizenship has been removed.

The overhauled bill was passed with the unanimous vote of 83 parliamentarians on Tuesday.

During Tuesday’s debate on the 241 Committee’s report, MP Abbas expressed his party, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA)’s full support for the Committee’ decision.

He remarked that he had closely been monitoring the inhuman attacks on Palestinian citizens by Israeli forces, and especially, closely tracking Maldivian government’s stance on the matter via social media other means.

He commended the government for their exemplary conduct, headed by the President, Foreign Minister and Foreign Ministry, on the matter of Palestine despite Maldives, being a small nation with a fragile economy.

“Maldives was setting an example for the Arabic Islamic Ummah. Continued to condemn the inhumane acts of Israel in all situations that called for it. Was

MP Abbas said 241 Committee’s decision was reached with careful consideration of the Maldivian economy and Maldives’ foreign policy.

He added that the 20^th Parliamentary Assembly, where ruling PNC holds majority, has done something any other government did not have the guts to do.

“Honorable Speaker, today is a national day. It is the day Maldives, on a national scale, has taken the best and the harshest measure possible against the world’s worst Jews. Israeli passport has been banned, honorable Speaker; until they end the inhuman attacks against Palestinians,” he added.