Parliament has accepted a bill to ban entry into the Maldives on Israeli passports and referred it to the Committee on Security Services for further review. The bill, tabled by South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, was discussed during the fourth sitting of the current parliamentary session.
The proposed amendment seeks to modify Section 8 A. 7 of the Immigration Act to include those holding Israeli passports among the categories of individuals who cannot enter the country.
Opposition members criticized the government for pushing the bill for debate. Baa Atoll MP Ibrahim Shujau responded by highlighting President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s consistent advocacy against Israel’s actions towards the Palestinian people. Shujau accused the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of introducing the bill to create the impression that the government was not proactive on the issue.
“We are not speaking in this House today to expedite this process. However, all the 12 members (MDP members) are discussing it in a hypothetical manner,” Shujau stated.
Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ahmed Nazim emphasized that the committee should prioritize national interests and security while reviewing the bill. “The decision to be taken should ensure that our freedom, security, and economic considerations are not compromised,” Nazim said.
Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim stressed the importance of careful deliberation on such a significant decision. “Other Islamic countries, if not the Maldives, are very divided on this issue, but this is also the first parliament to speak on the issue and take such a step. People’s representatives are members of parliament. The decision taken by the members today should be made with the future and security of the country in mind,” Ibrahim commented.
During the debate, Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah proposed accepting the bill and sending it to the standing committee, a motion supported by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim. The session concluded with the decision to refer the bill to the Committee on Security Services.
The MDP introduced the bill to ban entry into the Maldives on Israeli passports, following the government’s recent cabinet decision to amend the law accordingly. A committee of five ministers has been established to oversee the implementation of this task.
