Israel Dismisses Maldives Entry Ban, Envoy Tells Nationals To Visit Lakshadweep Instead

The Israeli embassy in India on Monday told its citizens to visit beaches in India after the Maldives government announced that it will ban Israelis from the Indian Ocean archipelago.

The Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has “resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passports”. The government did not specify when it will take effect.

“Since the Maldives is no longer welcoming Israelis, here are some beautiful and amazing Indian beaches where Israeli tourists are warmly welcomed and treated with utmost hospitality. Check out these recommendations (from the Israeli embassy in India), based on the places visited by our diplomats,” a post by the Israeli embassy said.

The post accompanies pictures of beaches in Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa and Kerala.

Israeli consul general Kobbi Shoshani even reposted a January tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where the PM is seen praising the natural beauty of Lakshadweep.

“Thanks to the Maldives Government’s decision, Israelis can now explore the beautiful beaches of Lakshadweep,” Shoshani said in a tweet, resharing the photo and the post shared by PM Modi in January.

Lakshadweep came in the centre of debate after three Maldives ministers made disparaging remarks about India and PM Modi, while commenting on the photos shared from the PM’s trip to Lakshadweep, triggering xenophobic, racist and hateful posts about India.

Israel’s foreign ministry also asked its citizens to avoid travel to Maldives. “In light of the Maldives government’s decision to ban the entry of citizens with Israeli passports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Israeli citizens avoid any travel to the Maldives,” it said.

“The recommendation is also valid for Israeli citizens holding a foreign passport, in addition to the Israeli passport. For Israeli citizens staying in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, since if they fall into distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to help,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Last year, nearly 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives, making up 0.6 percent of total tourist arrivals. However, in the first four months of this year, Israeli visits dropped to 528, an 88 percent decrease from the same period last year.

Ties have remained lukewarm between Tel Aviv and Male, Israel was the third nation to formally recognize Maldives in 1965 but in 1974 Maldives severed ties.

Three decades later, in 2009, Maldives signed cooperation agreements with Israel. Both nations engaged in people-to-people ties as well engaged in the health, education and cultural sectors.

Maldives in 2014 decided to join the international boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) economic war on Israel, boycotting Israeli products when the IDF launched a military operation in Gaza against Hamas and its then-President Abdulla Yameen formally terminated the country’s cooperation agreements with Israel in 2018.

(with inputs from Al Jazeera and Jewish Press)