bill pending in Majlis, government to amend the law

The government is set to ban Israeli passports after changing the law.

The Office of the President announced this on Sunday following a meeting that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had with his Cabinet of Ministers earlier in the day. The government decided to amend the law to prevent people from entering the country with Israeli passports.

The decision was announced by the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, at a press conference held at the Presidency on Sunday afternoon.

Following the cabinet’s decision to make the necessary changes to laws to prevent people from entering the country with Israeli passports, it was also decided to set up a cabinet committee on Sunday to look into the matter.

It also includes the President’s decision to appoint a special envoy to assess Maldives’ preference and commitment to the Palestinians in the case of Palestine and Israel.

It was also decided to organize fundraising activities in the Maldives through the United Nations (UN) Agency to help the affected brothers and sisters in Palestine, and organize a nationwide rally titled “Maldives with Palestine”.

Asked by a journalist whether the government will support a bill to amend the Immigration Law to ban people with Israeli passports from entering the country, Minister Ihusaan revealed that it is too early to say whether the People’s Majlis will decide in a specific way and that a decision would be reached after thorough research and analysis.

Asked why Israeli passports were not banned immediately, the minister said the attorney general recommended that work be done by amending the law, in line with the island nation’s laws.

Ihusaan disclosed that work is being done to do the needful and added that he does not know an exact date when the ban will be implemented, but that it will be imposed soon and it will not take that long.

This comes after the current administration faced backlash against the massive delay in banning Israeli passports at a time when Israeli forces have stepped up their inhumane attacks and acts of genocide against innocent civilians in Palestine.

Protesters gathered near the President’s Office on Sunday, expressing their concern over the matter.