President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act, introducing a legal provision that bans individuals holding Israeli passports from entering the country.
The amendment, passed by the People’s Majlis during its 20th sitting of the year’s first session on April 15, 2025, has now become law following the President’s ratification. This marks a significant shift in immigration policy, formally enshrining the Maldives’ stance against the ongoing actions of Israel in occupied Palestine.
According to the President’s Office, the decision to bar Israeli passport holders is a direct response to what the government describes as “continuing atrocities and acts of genocide” committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. The move is a reflection of what the administration says is the Maldives’ firm position in support of the Palestinian cause.
In a statement issued following the ratification, the government reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with Palestine and reiterated its commitment to advocating for justice, accountability, and the protection of Palestinian rights on the international stage.
President Muizzu has frequently voiced the Maldives’ support for the creation of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the borders prior to 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital—an internationally backed position aligned with numerous United Nations resolutions.
The Maldives, a Muslim-majority nation, has long maintained a foreign policy sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle. While diplomatic relations with Israel have been severed since the 1970s, past governments have occasionally explored limited engagement, drawing criticism from the local population. The latest amendment is expected to be widely welcomed domestically as a reaffirmation of the country’s pro-Palestinian stance.
