The president of Maldives arrived for an “official” visit to “Palestine” on Tuesday without planning a stopover in Israel, underlining the loss of one of Israel’s few friends in the Muslim world, writes Raphael Ahren for the Times of Israel.
President Mohammed Waheed Hassan’s four-day visit includes trips to Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah, where he met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and laid a wreath at the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat Tuesday. He is not scheduled to meet any Israeli officials.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Paul Hirschson said that Israel has been kept informed of the visit and coordinated with the Maldivians for security needs. “We’re perfectly happy for them to have an active relationship with the Palestinians,” he said.
The Republic of Maldives, a tiny island nation southwest of Sri Lanka, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, yet until two years ago bilateral ties were growing increasingly cordial.
In February 2012, the government in Malé was deposed in what observers called a political coup. Mohamed Nasheed — the country’s first democratically elected president, known for his pro-Israel stance — was ousted and replaced by Islamist hardliners around Waheed Hassan.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Comment: Waheed flees with MVR 500,000 in cash and no dignity
Waheed’s “unprecedented” decision to stay “has endangered the Maldivian people’s right to elect a leader of their choice”: US
Nasheed calls for Waheed to resign, transitional government to oversee elections under Speaker before Nov 11
Waheed threatens candidates with resignation should they not agree to polls: The Hindu
Supreme Court orders Elections Commission to restart re-registration process
Comment: Conspiracy of silence over GMR arbitration
According to Holy Allah, Jews are enemies to Muhammadans so why would any Dhivehistani visit Israel? Pigs and apes, prophet killers, liars and decievers - that's what Jews are. Muhammadans call them accursed several times in everyone of their daily prayers. "Ghairil maghloobi alaihim walah daaleen". So visiting them is a no-no. But visiting the homosexual Yasir Arafat who died of AIDS is alright. I hope he visits the Church in Bethelehm too.
Nasheed resigned on his own accord and he resigned due to pressure that was mounted on him because of his dictatorial attitude and continuous breach of our constitution.
It was not a coup and Nasheed had tried to bring a coup by himself on 6th Feb. since the guy did not know how to rule the country under democratic constitution .
Since Nasheed was a dictator and he tried to change from democracy to military on 6th of Feb. but he failed to do so .