Maldives Bans Israeli Tourists Amid Gaza War; Netanyahu Faces Mounting Domestic Pressure
The Maldives has banned Israeli tourists from entering the country in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza war, Arab News reported. President Mohamed Muizzu ratified the ban on Tuesday following parliamentary approval, calling it a response to Israel’s “atrocities and acts of genocide.” The move, effective immediately, reverses a decades-old policy—Israelis were previously banned until the 1990s, and relations briefly improved in 2010. Official data shows only 59 Israelis visited the Maldives in February, among 214,000 foreign arrivals.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing domestic dissent over the war. Thousands of military personnel, academics, doctors, and civilians have signed petitions demanding a ceasefire and hostage deal. Since April 10, nearly 3,500 soldiers and veterans—including ex-army chiefs Dan Halutz and Ehud Barak—have called for an end to hostilities. Over 3,000 academics, 3,000 teachers, and nearly 3,000 medical professionals, alongside Nobel laureates, have joined similar appeals. A petition by 350 writers accused Netanyahu of sabotaging peace talks to prolong his political survival.
The Gaza war, triggered by Hamas’ October 2023 attack (killing 1,218 Israelis), has claimed over 51,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, per Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s renewed offensive since March 18 has drawn ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes. The ICJ is also hearing a genocide case against Israel.
