Opposition leader Fayyaz Ismail has sharply criticised President Mohamed Muizzu for failing to implement a promised ban on Israeli passport holders entering the Maldives, urging him to explain to the Maldivian people the reasons behind his inability to follow through on his posturing.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ismail juxtaposed the Maldives’ inaction with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, accusing the government of failing to honour its commitments.
“ICC has been able to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, and yet President Muizzu, with complete control over Maldivian Parliament and his party, is unable to make a decision regarding his stated goal to ban the Israeli passport,” Ismail wrote. “Explain the reasons to the Maldivian people. They deserve to know, and they will understand your inability to carry through your posturing.”
The opposition leader’s remarks follow public outrage over the Parliament’s rejection of a motion to expedite amendments to the Maldives Immigration Act to ban Israeli passport holders. Despite holding a supermajority, lawmakers aligned with the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) voted against the motion on Wednesday, reigniting criticism of the administration’s unfulfilled promises.
In June, the government announced the ban in response to public anger over Israel’s military actions in Palestine. The Cabinet decision was presented as a gesture of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, but no legislative action has been taken to enact the pledge.
The ICC’s announcement, which includes accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories, has added international weight to the criticism of Israel’s actions.
The government has yet to respond to Ismail’s comments or clarify its position on the Israeli passport ban.
