Maldives Israeli ban runs into a problem - Palestinians

The small island nation of Maldives planned to stop Israeli passport holders from entering because of the Gaza war, but delayed the decision when they realized many Palestinians also have Israeli passports.

Weeks after declaring their intention to prohibit Israeli visitors from entering the Maldives, Attorney General Ahmed Usham of the island nation has pointed out difficulties in implementing this drastic decision. The news has gained global media coverage, especially in Israel.

During a press briefing covered by MV Republic on Thursday, Usham stated that a comprehensive prohibition on Israeli passport holders needs to be examined more closely. He stressed that despite the government's position staying the same on the matter, there are important setbacks that need to be dealt with.

The main issue is the millions of Palestinians who hold Israeli passports. What occurs when we implement a widespread prohibition? "These issues require careful thought," Usham commented, assuring that a resolution will be found. His goal in boycotting Israelis remains to be specifically against Jews after his shocking surprise to learn that Arabs can also carry Israeli passports.

At present, there is no upcoming legislation in parliament to enforce a ban like that. Usham clarified that a comparable suggestion had previously been put forward by a member of the opposition. This current proposal aims to prohibit individuals with an Israeli passport from entering, even if they also hold a different foreign passport. Usham suggests modifying the old proposal since it is against parliamentary regulations to introduce two bills on the same topic.

Usham suggested that the most effective method would be to modify the current bill during committee talks, but did not provide details on the number of amendments. Hence, an extra bill will not be introduced by the government. Though the Maldives seeks very much to ban Israelis from entering their land, the case of Arab Israelis is an obstacle the bias leaders did not foresee.