The Parliament has recently sanctioned a bill aimed at prohibiting the entry of Israeli passports, which has now been referred to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Service for thorough review. This legislative initiative was proposed by Parliamentarian Meekail Ahmed Naseem.
The proposed bill by Parliamentarian Meekail advocates for amendments to the constitution, specifically calling for an additional clause after clause 7 of Article 8(a) of the Immigration Act. Once implemented, this amendment will effectively bar entry into the Maldives for individuals holding Israeli passports, irrespective of any dual citizenship status they may possess.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) criticised the ruling party's intent to deliberate over the bill. Responding to criticism, Parliamentarian Ibrahim Shujau highlighted President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's stance in supporting the rights of Palestinians and denouncing Israeli military actions against innocent civilians. He further emphasised that the MDP introduced the bill to underscore the government's perceived lack of action in standing up for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ahmed Nazim has urged the Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the bill, considering both patriotic sentiments and the welfare of the public. In addition, Parliamentarian Qasim Ibrahim has stressed the necessity for meticulous and thoughtful decision-making in matters of such significance.
During the deliberations, Parliamentarian Ibrahim Falah proposed that the bill be referred to the Committee on National Security Service for further examination. This suggestion was endorsed by Deputy Speaker Nazim, leading to the bill's referral to the committee for detailed assessing.
While MDP initially proposed the bill to ban Israeli passports, the government had previously announced its intention to enact legislative changes for the same purpose. In line with this, a government-appointed Committee comprising five members has been tasked with facilitating the necessary amendments.