The Maldives has changed its stance and is not going ahead with its plan to ban Israeli tourists, realising that a blanket ban would affect Israel’s nearly two million Arab citizens.

A statement issued by the Maldives President’s Office said that in the first week of June, the Maldives had decided to ban the entry of Israeli citizens into the archipelago. The Maldives is planning to amend the necessary laws to ban Israeli citizens from entering the country.

The decision was formally announced by Home Security and Technology Minister Ali Ihussan after a cabinet meeting chaired by Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu.

However, two weeks later, the Maldives have realised that Israel is not just about Jews and that there are also two million Arab-Muslims in the country. In fact, Arab-Muslims make up 21% of Israel’s population.

This realization has forced the Islamic nation of Maldives to reconsider its ban on Israelis.

Algemeiner on Tuesday quoted Maldives Attorney General Ahmed Usham as saying that the government was reviewing its decision to ban Israeli citizens from entering the country.

“The biggest concern is that many Palestinians have Israeli passports, numbering in the millions. What will happen when we impose a blanket ban?” Ahmed Usam told journalists at a press conference, The Algemeiner reported.

However, Ahmed Usam stressed that the government’s stance on the ban on Israelis remains unchanged, but it is only reconsidering the impact of Israeli passports on Arab Muslims or Palestinians.

“These are matters that require careful consideration,” Usham said, indicating further review.

The plan to impose a blanket ban on Israelis has also faced criticism from Maldivian lawmakers.

Maldivian MP Qassim Ibrahim has criticised a bill banning Israelis from entering the Maldives, saying the bill targets Jewish Israelis, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“When we decide that a person with Israeli nationality cannot come to the Maldives, it means we are talking about deciding that Jews cannot come either,” Ibrahim told his fellow lawmakers, according to the Jerusalem Post.

“So, since they believe in the prophets of the religion revealed by Allah, we need to think very deeply about the possibility of doing this from that perspective. We need to think about this very carefully.”

Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu’s party has a majority in the parliament and is not paying heed to any dissenting voices.

Unlike Israel, where Muslims are also citizens, the Maldives is an Islamic country that follows strict Sharia laws, and citizenship is based on adherence to Islam.