All of the People's National Congress (PNC) MPs did not want to speak on a bill proposed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Galolhu Dhekunu Meekail Naseem to ban the Israeli passport in order to fast-track the bill, PNC MP for Baarah Ibrahim Shujau said today.
Speaking during preliminary debate at today's sitting on the bill proposed by Meekail to bar Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives, Shujau said all 12 MDP MPs wanted to speak about the bill in order to prolong work on the bill. MDP did not have good intentions in submitting the bill to the Majlis, he alleged.
"This is something submitted with devious intent. This is something submitted as a nuisance. Our intent is clear. Seventy-five MPs are not speaking at this honourable Majlis for the purpose of speeding it up, for the purpose of sending the bill to committee and passing it quickly with amendments that need to be made by the committee," Shujau said with passion.
He accused opposition MPs of questioning the government's intent in banning tourists visiting the Maldives with Israeli passports in order to mislead the public. The Maldivian people have decided whose intent was clear or not, he said.
"The Maldivian people will know the work being done by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on behalf of our people on this, on this topic. He has been talking for the rights of the Palestinian people every time he gets a mic," Shujau said.
Listing the government's efforts on behalf of the Palestinian people, he noted the Maldives co-sponsoring a case filed by South Africa against Israel's leaders at the International Criminal Court.
"It was this government that did that. MDP was asleep," he said.
He called for expediting work on the bill at the committee in order to quickly pass the bill.
Introducing the bill to Parliament today, Meekail called on MPs to put aside political differences and to pass the bill as a bipartisan effort.
The purpose of the bill was for the Maldives to take watertight measures against Israel, whose atrocities have been recognised by the international community, Meekail said.
Speaking during the debate, Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim, leader of the Jumhooree Party (JP), advised MPs to "think deeply" before banning the Israeli passport.
Israel is home to "one of three mosques where Muslims go for Umra," Qasim said, referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and is considered by the UN to be illegally occupied territory.
Qasim's second excuse was that barring Israelis from visiting the Maldives would amount to barring Jews.
"When we decide that a person with Israeli nationality can't come to the Maldives, that means we're talking about deciding that Jews can't come, to put it briefly. Therefore, as they are people who have believed in prophets of a religion revealed by Allah, we need to think very deeply about the chance of us doing such a thing, from that perspective. We need to think about that very carefully," Qasim said.
Israeli citizens should only be banned from visiting the Maldives after due consideration and careful thought, he said.
"There are lots of Islamic countries in the world apart from the Maldives. However, this might be the first Majlis where taking such a step has been proposed to a People's Majlis, to a country's Parliament, and talked about," Qasim said.
The bill submitted by Meekail proposes adding a provision to the immigration law to bar persons with Israeli passports and Israelis with passports of other countries from entering the Maldives.
After the preliminary debate today, the bill was accepted unanimously with 88 votes in favour.
The bill was sent for review by the 241 Committee as proposed by Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah, PNC's PG leader, and seconded by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim.
During the debate, Nazim said he supported the bill but suggested that the committee should consider several matters and assess the impact of banning the Israeli passport, including potential economic damage.
Israeli tourists who have made reservations and made payments would have to be reimbursed by resorts, he noted. The committee should also consider the potential impact on national security, he added.
Passing the bill into law will be put to a vote after the committee stage.
Maldivians were praised by people across the world after the Maldives decided to ban the Israeli passport. However, the Maldives also faced disapproval from some people.
