The Israel Embassy in India has asked its citizens to avoid visiting the Maldives following the Maldivian government’s decision to ban Israeli passport holders from entering their country.

Despite the move to ban Israeli passports, the actual implementation of the same will be only after certain legal amendments come into force.

Israel has meanwhile asked its citizens who are staying in the Maldives – the smallest Muslim-majority country in Asia – to leave the island nation for safety reasons. According to reports, one million tourists visit the Maldives each year, of which about 11,000 Israeli tourists had visited the Maldives last year.

The Israel Embassy in India has in this scenario urged its citizens to visit India and explore the Indian beaches, recommending the beautiful shores of  Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A post from the embassy read: “Since the Maldives is no longer welcoming Israelis, here are some beautiful and amazing Indian beaches where Israeli tourists are warmly welcomed and treated with utmost hospitality. Check out these recommendations from @IsraelinIndia, based on the places visited by our diplomats.”

As early as December last, Israel issued a travel warning to its citizens to stop travelling to the Maldives citing anti-Israel sentiment prevalent there on account of the raging war with Hamas in Gaza. It is to be noted that Israel does not have diplomatic ties with the Maldives. But Israelis could all the while visit the Maldives famed for its chain of over a thousand small coral islands. – editor@nrifocus.com