The MP for Velidhoo Constituency Mohamed Abbas has spoken against banning the Israeli passport.
Speaking today at the Parliament during the debate on an insurance bill submitted by the MP for Mahibadhoo Constituency Ahmed Thariq, MP Abbas said that the only reason the opposition is calling for the ban on Israeli passports is to bring about a boycott of the Maldivian tourism industry.
He insisted that the opposition does not truly want to ban the passport. MP Abbas further said that MDP knows that a Muslim community lives in Israel and would have European passports too.
The MP also said that the whole of Europe would rage against the Maldives for banning Israelis from entering the Maldives and this would in turn devastate the Maldivian tourism industry.
MP Abbas said that MDP does not want to see resort owners be happy.
The MP for Galolhu South Constituency Meekail Naseem had last June proposed amendments to the Immigration law which would ban entering the Maldives with an Israeli passport. While the Parliament accepted the amendment and forwarded it to the Committee, no other work has been done on the bill.
