Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering the Republic of Maldives, according to a Tuesday announcement by the Maldives president’s office, in response to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu barred Israelis, according to the statement, as a reflection of “the government’s firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.”
“The Government of Maldives reaffirms its resolute solidarity with the Palestinian cause and its enduring commitment to the promotion and protection of the rights of the Palestinian people,” said the president’s office.
“The Maldives continues to advocate for accountability for violations of international law and remains vocal across various international platforms in its condemnation of Israel’s actions.”
The president’s office reiterated its call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, based on 1949 armistice lines, with east Jerusalem as its capital.
Homeland Security and Technology Minister Ali Ihsaan had announced the government’s decision to ban Israeli passports in June. The cabinet resolved to amend the necessary laws and establish a subcommittee to oversee the efforts.
The Maldives has long been hostile to Israel, with its diplomatic animosity growing following the October 7 Massacre.
The president’s February 2025 presidential address for the opening session of the parliament emphasized the priority of the Palestinian cause in its foreign policy.
In October, Muizzu announced that his country had filed a declaration of intervention for South Africa’s International Court of Justice application against alleged actions in Gaza.
Former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stated in October 2023 that the country’s commitment to Palestinians was due to the country’s Islamic character, as he believed it was “the sacred responsibility of the entire Islamic Ummah to collectively work towards alleviating the suffering of oppressed Muslims globally.”
In the Maldives, citizenship can only be held by Muslims, according to the Foreign Ministry's immigration website.