President Mohamed Muizzu signed the measure into law following its approval by parliament on Tuesday. According to the President’s Office, the decision reflects the nation’s condemnation of Israel’s ongoing atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The amended Immigration Act blocks entry for Israeli passport holders, though dual nationals may still visit using non-Israeli documents.

This move follows a 2024 Cabinet proposal and comes amid mounting domestic pressure for a stronger stance on the conflict.

Muizzu also announced that his country will appoint a special envoy to evaluate humanitarian needs in the Palestinian territories and to launch a national fundraising campaign under the banner “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine”.

The Maldives, whose population of 530,000 is more than 98% Muslim, previously lifted a ban on Israeli tourists in the 1990s and briefly explored normalization of relations in 2010, though diplomatic efforts stalled in 2012.

Since the adoption of the 2008 constitution, citizens and anyone wishing to become citizens is required by law to nominally follow Sunni Islam.

In 2023, more than 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives, but arrivals dropped sharply in early 2024.