Israel recommends its citizens to avoid Maldives following passport ban

 Israel‘s foreign ministry on Sunday recommended that Israeli citizens not travel to the Maldives after its government banned the entry of visitors with Israeli passports.

The recommendation, the Israeli ministry said, includes Israelis with dual citizenship.

“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,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Maldives government said it will ban Israelis from entering the country amid escalating public anger in the nation over Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

The AP reported that the president’s office said that the cabinet decided to change laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the country and to “establish a subcommittee to oversee the process”.

Nearly 11,000 Israelis visit the Maldives every year, or 0.6 percent of the total tourist arrivals.