Debate on Gaza motion veers off track as MPs engage in political bickering

The parliamentary debate on an emergency motion submitted by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) over Israel’s storming of the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid to Gaza veered off track on Thursday, as

The parliamentary debate on an emergency motion over Israel’s storming of the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying much-needed aid to Gaza veered off track on Thursday, as government and opposition lawmakers got sidetracked trading blame and engaging in political bickering.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies, set sail for Gaza at the end of August, with over 40 vessels carrying more than 500 activists from over 45 countries, including the Maldives. But on late Wednesday, Israel intercepted over a dozen of the vessels in international waters, and detained hundreds of activists on board.

As the Parliament reopened after a month-long recess on Thursday morning, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir - a lawmaker from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) - presented an emergency motion condemned the storming of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The motion gained bipartisan support, and was accepted for debate with a unanimous vote of 57 – an unusual occurrence at the Parliament, where the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) enjoys a supermajority and regularly pushes out motions filed by the opposition.

The bipartisan support to entertaining the motion was celebrated by Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla – the chairperson of PNC - as an indication of Maldives’ “unwavering support for the Palestinian people”.

But party lines became visible as soon as the debate began.

Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah – the leader of PNC’s parliamentary group – criticized the MDP and insinuated the party wishes to foster ties with Israel.

He remarked that the preceding 19th parliamentary assembly, in which the MDP held a supermajority, hadn’t even dared to ban Israeli passports.

The bill to bar Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives was submitted by MDP lawmaker Meekail Ahmed Naseem in May 2024. In June 2024, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet also made a similar decision, and the PNC decided to accept the MDP’s bill, and make the changes the government wants during the committee stage.

The bill was passed by the Parliament nearly a year later, in April 2025, with major amendments, including with the removal of the provision that extended the ban to dual passport holders, after Maldives Immigration said they had no way to check for dual citizenship.

“Honorable Speaker, even now, our greatest fear is that if the MDP were to ever come back to power, they would reverse the ban that we imposed on Israeli passports, permit Israeli people back in and allow them to dive our waters,” said Falah.

He questioned MDP’s intentions.

“The MDP did not submit this motion with good intentions. They thought we would reject it,” he said.

Falah accused MDP of supporting Israel, and said that it is the incumbent 20th parliamentary assembly which has been doing the most for the sake of Palestinian people.

 Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer, who had defected from MDP to PNC after the former lost its 2023 re-election bid, also criticized his former party.

“They were like, we will ban the passport, ban it, ban it… Just putting up a show like something else. They wouldn’t get anything done in their five-year term. Nothing in five years. It is the incumbent administration that got it done,” he said.

Maroof took a point of order and interrupted Zareer, accusing him of politicizing the issue at hand.

He also asked if Zareer was taking offense because he had suggested sending the drones purchased from Turkey to observe the situation of the aid convoy, before he was cut off by Speaker Abdul Raheem.

“Honorable MP, I get your point. I therefore ask that you sit down,” said Abdul Raheem.

MDP’s Meekail, who represents the South Galolhu constituency, accused the PNC administration of failing to take timely action in matters pertaining to Palestinian people or give their plight the focus and priority it deserves.

He said the issue at hand deserves bipartisan support.

“Honorable Speaker, this matter involved two Maldivian citizens [on the flotilla]. Therefore, fulfil your legal responsibility. Do your legal duty,” he said.

Fellow MDP lawmaker, Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fittey), criticized the revisions pushed by PNC to the passport ban legislature which saw the removal of the clause banning entry of Israelis with dual citizenship.

He said that Israelis have always held dual citizenship, meaning they can continue to enter the Maldives with their second passport.

Falah raised a point of order and interrupted Ziyad.

He said that since Ziyad is privy to Israelis still vacationing in the Maldives, he should share this with the authorities. He added that they might have “smuggled themselves in via the sea.”

“We interpret this as entries into the Maldives on Israeli passports. Therefore, I do not accept this point of order as there’s chance for entry in some other way,” said Abdul Raheem, rejecting the point of order.

But he also asked Ziyad to share information with the authorities.

“If you had any good and sincere intentions, entries on Israeli passports would be banned forever,” responded Ziyad, once again criticizing PNC for boiling down the original legislature.

The next to speak was North Henveiru MP Ahmed Aifan, a lawmaker from PNC. He, too, criticized the MDP.

“Its just very hard for them that their efforts to mislead the public and make it seem like the Maldivian administration hasn’t doing anything about what’s going on in Gaza in order to gather support for the rally that the MDP plans to hold tomorrow has failed,” he said.

He also alleged the MDP had attempt to build ties with Israel during its first administration.

Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has killed over 66,000 people and wounded over 167,000 since October 2023. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble of homes and office buildings devastated by Israeli air strikes.

The Global Sumud Flotilla marks the biggest mission to date to attempt to break Israel’s aid blockage in Gaza, as the coastal enclave endures a horrifying humanitarian crisis.

On board one of the observer vessels in the flotilla is Ibrahim Shaz (Bodey) the secretary general of the International Aid Campaign (IAC) Maldives.

Israeli naval forces boarded the vessels on late Wednesday about 70 nautical miles or 130 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, cutting communications and jamming signals as the flotilla neared the blockaded enclave.

In total, at least 13 vessels that are part of the flotilla have been intercepted at sea, and some 200 activists, including Greta Thunberg, have been arrested so far.

According to the flotilla’s live tracker, at least 26 vessels are still sailing, with one of the vessels already in Gaza’s waters.