Travel Destination Excludes Israeli Visitors, Residents Advised to Depart

As Israel’s war with Hamas continues, the international response is becoming more divisive.

The Associated Press reported on Sunday that the Maldives will ban Israelis from entering the country. In 2023, almost 11,000 Israelis visited as the island is known as a resort destination. Islam is the official religion of the Maldives, with citizens required to be Muslim.

Fox News reported the office of Maldives President Mohamed Muizu issued a statement about his cabinet’s recommendation for the ban, saying, “The Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts.”

It continued, “[[T]he President decided to appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs.”

According to Fox, the Maldives plans to fundraise for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

UNRWA has been accused of having staff members with ties to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Israel’s foreign ministry didn’t paint a hopeful picture over the decision.

“For Israeli citizens already in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, because if they find themselves in distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to assist,” it said in a statement.

The Maldives’ decision begs the question, do Israelis deserve this?

Was it not Hamas that attacked on Oct. 7? Were they not the aggressors in attacking, murdering, and taking hostages? Perhaps the Maldives should consider banning the perpetrators of these terrorist acts.

Even if one were to refute the above, there is a broader question concerning collective punishment for a people in light of the actions of their government.

Surely you could not blame every Russian for the actions of Vladimir Putin and his country’s war with Ukraine. The same could be said for any of China’s aggressions.

Of course, Israel is not Russia or China, but a similar question can be asked in light of the Maldives’ decision.

Additionally, while banning travel to a resort spot is not exactly creating a state of depravity in itself, such actions only deepen the divide internationally that may spark tensions among other nations.

The aforementioned Fox New report stated that the Maldives has received $36 million in foreign assistance from the United States since 2018.

With the U.S. historically being Israel’s most outspoken ally, that relationship should look — at best — tenuous going forward.

A pessimist’s view of Israel’s war and its consequences would say there will certainly be more moves like this in the future. Next time, it won’t be something as innocuous as banning people from a vacationing spot.