US Congress readying legislation to punish Maldives over Israel passport ban

US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) proposed to condition aid to the Maldives on allowing Israelis entrance to the country.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

The US Congress is preparing to take action against the Maldives over its recent decision to ban Israeli citizens from entering the country.

US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), a staunch supporter of Israel, is spearheading legislation that would condition American aid to the Maldives on allowing Israeli citizens to enter the country, according to Axios.

The legislation, titled the Protecting Allied Travel Here (PATH) Act, comes as a response to the Maldives’ recent announcement that it would discriminate against Israeli passport holders over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

“Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be sent to a foreign nation that has banned all Israeli citizens from traveling to their country,” Gottheimer said in a statement.

“Not only is Israel one of our greatest democratic allies, but the Maldives’ unprecedented travel ban is nothing but a blatant act of Jew hatred. They shouldn’t get a cent of American dollars until they reverse course,” Gottheimer continued.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu drafted the policy after consulting with his cabinet, according to a statement released by Muizzu’s office. Muizzu also appointed a special envoy to “assess Palestinian needs.”

“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,” his office said in a statement.

“The president decided to appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs.”

The ban also positions the popular tourist destination alongside other members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

With this legislation, the Maldives joins Yemen, Kuwait, Iran, Bangladesh, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Algeria as countries that prevent Israeli nationals from entering their nation.

Last year, almost 11,000 Israelis traveled to the Maldives, making up 0.6 percent of all visitors, according to The Times of Israel.

The Maldives has long been criticized for its human rights record. The nation declares Sunni Islam as the state religion, and only Sunni Muslims are afforded citizenship.

All Maldivians are required to teach their children Sunni Islam. Homosexuality is illegal in the Maldives and can be punished with imprisonment, fines, or lashings.

The Maldives’ constitution states that “no law contrary to any principle of Islam can be applied.”