Almost too absurd to believe, the beautiful South Asian island of the Maldives, known for its jaw-dropping beaches with crystal clear water, has banned Israelis from entering the country. Yes, you heard right. Israeli passport holders are not welcome in the island paradise.
But it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise from a nation that only bestows citizenship on the condition that you are Muslim.
So, given the overwhelming Islamic majority, why would it be shocking to discover that, similar to South Africa, which brought charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court at the Hague, it also believes that Israelis are guilty of committing genocide in Gaza?
Siding 100% with the perpetrators of a savage massacre and those who have no qualms killing their own people – many of whom are children – just for the sake of a media photo op to elicit the sympathies of ignorant people who use any excuse to castigate Israelis, the country’s president, Mohamed Muizzu, ratified the Maldives Immigration Amendment banning Israeli passport holders from accessing the vacation spot. Ironically, that would forbid entrance to Muslim Arabs who also hold the same passports.
Invoking the word “atrocities” attributing them to the ongoing fight taking place in Gaza, there is no mention of what took place just a few kilometers away on October 7, nor is there any acknowledgment of the barbaric conditions under which Israeli hostages are being held as they are denied food, proper oxygen, and every other basic human need necessary for survival.
Instead, their official statement reads, “The Government of Maldives reaffirms its resolute solidarity with the Palestinian cause and its enduring commitment to the promotion and protection of the rights of the Palestinian people, continuing to advocate for accountability for violations of international law, and it remains vocal across various international platforms in its condemnation of Israel’s actions.”
Predictably, there are no references or specific examples given of atrocities, nor is there any supportive data to substantiate the claim of genocide.
Only a general statement of criminal inference is made, hurling the usual inflammatory accusations against the Jewish state, accusing them of exactly what was done to them, while lauding and legitimizing violent terrorists who are willing to stop at nothing in their quest to annihilate an entire ethnicity.
How long will it take before the Israeli ban broadens into the total exclusion of all Jews, no matter where they hail from?
Because Jew-hatred is really the more accurate and precise sentiment that can finally be expressed in a global atmosphere where Israel has made the fatal mistake of trying to defend itself.
Hated and scorned for the same acts of defense that any country would undertake if brutally attacked on their soil, Israel is excoriated for waging war on the enemy who spent 20 years meticulously calculating a modern-day pogrom, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the dark days of the 19th century when violent attacks upon Jews were commonplace in the Russian empire.
Loathing for Jews never went away
But make no mistake. Although many years have passed since the shocking discoveries of the Nazi Holocaust, which took the lives of six million, the disgust and loathing for Jews has never dissipated.
It has instead remained a well-contained, latent sentiment that, given the ideal circumstances, would, once again, emerge with the same fury and passion that has always been displayed throughout history.
The Israel-Hamas War was such an opportunity – allowing those who felt Jew-hatred to finally express their full rage – not only against the state, which is their home, but also upon those whose connection to Israel is minimal or even nonexistent.
Nonetheless, the war has provided an acceptable outlet to rail against God’s chosen. But now that it’s out in the open, the Maldives should also be prepared to face the consequences of their actions, because their decision doesn’t go unnoticed.
Genesis 12:3, the scripture that clearly reminds us that anyone who curses Israel will themselves be cursed, is still in effect, bringing the resulting punishment upon those who hate the people and the land that God created for Himself.
The Maldives, a magnificent paradise that embodies the most sought-after and luxurious heavenly destinations, is being governed by the evilest of regimes, willing to disavow God, who has warned against the devastating effects for anyone who holds his beloved Israel in contempt.
In such cases, the Almighty has given us a foreshadowing of how He will respond to such acts: “I am exceedingly jealous for Zion; yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her. (Zech. 8:2)
How will that jealousy manifest itself following the proclamation that Israelis are persona non grata in a country that defines them as the perpetrators of a genocide, accused of having committed heinous atrocities?
It will be interesting to watch this play out, because as the Maldives has drawn their line in the sand, advocating for the purveyors of terror, there will most surely be a heavenly response for the whitewashing of real evil, whose spread threatens all people.
Former president of the Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, following the October massacre, also weighed in back then, stating that “the country’s commitment to Palestinians was due to its Islamic character, which has the sacred responsibility of the entire Islamic Ummah to collectively work towards alleviating the suffering of oppressed Muslims globally.”
From where most of us sit, all we can see is that so much of today’s suffering is being executed by fanatic Muslims whose goal is world dominance and the subservience of all to an oppressive and cruel life code, rejecting freedom, dignity, and all human rights while those in power dictate how life must be lived and under what conditions.
In order to achieve that goal, populations have been slaughtered, as recently seen amongst Syria’s Christian minority, and terror of every kind has struck the hearts of men worldwide, causing fear and anxiety as it relates to the safety and well-being of all.
So, who has become the oppressed in this fight being waged by radical Islam?
The Maldives is now part of this stand, having thrown in their lot with those who hate Israel and Western values. So next time you’re thinking about where to book your next getaway, ask yourself, “Would you book a trip to a destination that bans Israelis and holds your values in contempt?”
The writer is a former Jerusalem elementary and middle school principal. She is also the author of Mistake-Proof Parenting, available on Amazon, based on the time-tested wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs.