The Parliament Foreign Relations Committee will make a recommendation to the government to enact a ban on Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives, as well as to ban on all products and imports from Israel, the committee has affirmed.
The committee made the decision on Wednesday after deliberating on a proposal put forward by MP for Maradhoo constituency Ibrahim Shareef and seconded by MP for Hoarafushi constituency Ahmed Saleem.
Shareef said the committee’s decision on Israel should be rendered as advice from the parliament, with the President being the head of the executive and thus responsible for foreign policy, which the committee approved.
The decision comes at a time a resolution against Israeli aggression in Palestine, put forward by MP for Villingili constituency Saud Hussain, remains under consideration. MP Ahmed Haitham, MP for South Machchangolhi, had also submitted to the committee a letter on the matter of Israel’s atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israel has killed 11,500 Palestinians, including 4,710 children and 3,160 women, since it launched attacks on the Gaza Strip on 7 October. In addition, relentless attacks have caused injuries to 29,800, with about 70% of them children and women.
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman and MP for South Henveiru constituency Hussain Shaheem said the committee report would be compiled and forwarded to the Speaker.
Some members pointed to the importance of banning Israeli tourists from entering the Maldives as a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people.