Israel boycott
More than just an island paradise – that’s why the Maldives ban Israeli tourists
A Palestinian flag flies over a shop in Male, capital of the Maldives
© Matt Hunt / Picture Alliance
Dream beaches and blue sea – that’s the image of the Maldives. In fact, things are not always harmonious politically in this Muslim country. However, the Israeli ban is supported by both the government and the opposition.
Anger over the violence in Gaza has Maldives reached. The island paradise no longer wants to allow Israelis into the country. It is not yet known when the law will come into force.
The Israeli government is now advising its citizens to stop traveling to the Maldives, even those with dual citizenship should avoid the islands. “Israeli citizens who are already in the country are advised to consider leaving because if they get into trouble for any reason, it will be difficult for us to help them.”
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Maldives: Two-class island state
The Maldives’ decision will surprise many holidaymakers. Apart from the image of islands and dream beaches, little is known about the island paradise. The Maldives is a small republic with over 1,000 strategically located coral islands. Tourism is the most important industry, and because the islands are scattered, the tourist destinations are isolated from the rest of the country. Expensive resort tourism brought money into the country, but led to a separation of the resort islands and the population, which is concentrated in the capital.
Locals live in the capital
Of the 1,192 islands in the Maldives, only 199 are inhabited and 111 of these are exclusively resorts. The resorts are managed by foreign companies, but they need a local partner – this is how the small upper class secures income from tourism. The capital, Malé, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world: 134,000 people officially live in just 5.7 square kilometers. That would be 23,500 per square kilometer. The actual number of inhabitants is said to be much higher. The influence of criminal gangs in Malé is also little known.
The political conflict in the Maldives has escalated several times in the past to the point of unrest and the declaration of a state of emergency. The population is predominantly Muslim, and the legal system is Islamic. Relative to the population, many fighters are said to have joined IS in Syria.
According to reports, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has given in to the wishes of the opposition and government parties. The travel ban is not the only one. The president announced that he will launch a fundraising campaign to “support our brothers and sisters in Palestine.” A nationwide solidarity campaign will also begin.
Worldwide wave of boycotts
The decision is not surprising. The German government’s policy on the Gaza conflict is not representative. Campaigns to boycott Israel and Israeli institutions are increasing worldwide – even in EU countries. It was to be expected that the Muslim island republic would join this trend.
In the past, calls for a boycott were risky, and every country had to expect pressure from the USA. The trend has reversed, and in many parts of the world, institutions and companies that continue to work with Israel now have to justify their actions. This is especially true as Israelis like to visit the Maldives, but only make up a small proportion of the guests. Last year, around 11,000 Israelis traveled to the Maldives, but this only accounts for 0.6 percent of all tourists. The financial consequences of the ban are therefore minor.
Island at the centre of geopolitics
The island state markets itself as a harmonious paradise, but the republic is at the centre of geopolitics. This is where the superpowers India and China collide. No other country in the world is arming its navy as quickly as China. In addition to the conflicts over Taiwan and the South China Sea, expansion into the Indian Ocean is the next step in Beijing’s maritime power projection. India, on the other hand, sees the zone as a natural sphere of influence. The last three governments each leaned towards one side, which led to a political zigzag course.
Mohamed Muizzu won the 2023 presidential election with the promise of pushing back Indian influence. This reversed the previous government’s “India first” policy. “India out” also means a turn towards China. The parliamentary elections on April 21, 2024 confirmed this policy. Muizzu’s party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), was able to win a two-thirds majority in parliament. In addition to the seesaw between the superpowers China and India, a dispute with Mauritius over territorial waters and economic zones is weighing on the country.