Comment: This is ballsy, especially considering that the US government is about to pounce hard on the small island nation...
© Eye Ubiquitous/UIG via Getty ImagesMaldives
President Mohamed Muizzu at a cabinet meeting decided to amend the country's laws to ban individuals with Israeli passports from entering the country, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihsaan announced at a news conference held at the President's Office on Sunday afternoon.
"The decision marks a proactive stance by Maldives, reflecting its condemnation of extremist human rights violations by Israel against the Palestinian population," state media PSM reported.
A committee that includes the homeland security minister, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, Islamic Affairs Minister Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed and Ibrahim Faisal Tourism Minister will oversee the ban process, the report added.
The cabinet also decided to initiate discussions with Islamic countries to raise support for Palestine and appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs.
"The President further decided to set up a fundraising campaign to assist our brothers and sisters in Palestine with the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and to conduct a nationwide rally under the slogan 'Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin,' which translates to 'Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine' to show support," a government statement said.
Comment: Israeli passport holders are already banned from a number of countries, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. However, as demonstrated with the recent exodus from the country, a great many Israelis are dual-nationals so they can get around these bans by using their other passports. Even so, the diplomatic and symbolic gesture is worthwhile.
Palestinians, being indigenous to the occupied land of Palestine, don't have this luxury.