The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which holds a supermajority in Parliament, has called for the swift passage of the Immigration Amendment Bill, which has remained stalled for over four months.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the PNC reiterated its support for amendments to the Immigration Act that would ban the entry of Israeli passport holders. “This party urges Parliament to speedily complete the study of the Immigration Amendment Bill, which is currently pending in Parliament, and to make the President’s decision a reality,” the PNC statement said.
On 2 June 2024, the Maldives Cabinet agreed to amend the law in response to public calls to ban Israeli passports, following the escalating war between Israel and Palestine. Despite the Cabinet’s decision, the legislative change has not yet been implemented.
Opposition MDP MP Mikael Naseem introduced a bill in June to amend the Immigration Act, preventing Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives. The bill has been with Parliament’s Security Services Committee for over four months, with no significant progress.
Last month, Presidential Spokesperson Heena Waleed reaffirmed the government’s stance on banning Israeli passports, citing parliamentary recess as the primary reason for the delay.
No timeline has been confirmed for when Parliament will reconvene to debate the bill.
