Maldives decides to ban entry on Israeli passports

The Maldivian authorities have decided to ban entry into the country on Israeli passports amid growing public outrage over the situation in the Gaza Strip. This was announced by Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Ihusan, writes Sun edition.

According to the head of the department, the government will amend the legislation to ban entry to the Maldives on Israeli passports as soon as possible. The corresponding decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. The country’s authorities created a special committee to implement the measure – it included the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General and the ministers of economy, tourism and foreign affairs.

The Maldivian government’s decision to ban Israeli passports came after main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party lawmaker Mikail Ahmed Naseem introduced an amendment to the immigration law a week earlier that would bar Israeli citizens from entering the country.

Previously, it was decided to oblige Russian tourists to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter Israel. The new rules will come into force on August 1, 2024. It is clarified that the ETA is not a visa, and the agreement between the Russian Federation and Israel on a visa-free regime continues to work.