Security services evacuated 34 tourists from Kaafu Thulusdhoo Island following unrest after an Israeli tourist destroyed an anti-Israel placard yesterday (July 28).
Thirty Israeli tourists, and four of other nationalities, agreed to be evacuated last night after police intelligence revealed that more protesters were travelling to the island to join those calling for the guests’ removal.
Managing Director of the Batuta Maldives Surf View Mohamed Hashim said the incident occurred outside his guest house, after an Israeli surfer took down a placard featuring a swastika alongside the Israeli flag and snapped it in two.
Anti-Israeli sentiment has been growing in the Maldives as the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinians continues to result in heavy civilian casualties in Gaza.
As news of yesterday’s incident spread locals became agitated, explained Hashim, who subsequently informed Island Council President Ahmed Anees. Anees then contacted the police.
Around 30 additional protesters subsequently travelled to Thulusdhoo from Malé and were detained upon arrival, said Anees, being kept at the local station and the island’s social centre.
“Police intelligence said that more were coming from Malé,” explained Anees. “They said it was the best thing that they leave for the night.”
A police spokesperson has said that they provided assistance to the Thulusdhoo Island Council and the Ministry of Tourism, although they declined to give further details.
Neither Anees nor Hashim were certain of the guests’ current whereabouts while officials from the tourism ministry were not responding to calls at the time of publication.
Anees explained that 10 tourists – all non Israelis remained in – the island, while those protesters detained by police were released after the Israeli tourists’ evacuation at midnight yesterday.
Thulusdhoo guest houses
Nine guesthouses have been registered in Thulusdhoo since the relaxation of guest house policy in an industry still dominated by the high end one island/one resort model.
The island – just forty minutes from Malé – is home to one of the countries’ top surf breaks, with a majority of bookings coming from Israeli surfers, explained Council President Anees.
“This is a big loss for us because most of the people depend on guest houses,” he explained, pointing out that this type of incident was unprecedented on the island.
“It is a calm island. Only a few people were involved in this thing,” he explained, suggesting that the unrest had been fomented by outsiders from Malé.
Guest house manager Hashim – who lost all 8 of his guests last night – also suggested that the incident may have been due to the large number of non-locals present on the island for the Eid holiday.
“There have been no problems since we opened two years ago. Tourists are always very friendly with locals,” said Hashim who noted that around 60 percent of his bookings came from Israelis.
“It is a big blow for our business. There are three months of surfing left. I don’t know what we will do now.”
Israeli tourists represent only a small fraction of tourist arrivals to the Maldives, making up just 0.3 percent of the more than one million people who visited the country in 2013.
Anti-Israeli sentiment
The incident in Thulusdhoo was followed by small but vocal protests in the capital Malé during which protesters burned the Israeli flag.
Maldivians have been increasingly active in their calls for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, with an estimated 13,000 marching through the capital Malé in solidarity with Palestinians earlier this month. Smaller demonstrations were held throughout the country.
Last week the government announced a boycott – admittedly symbolic – of Israeli products and the annulment of all cooperation agreements signed since the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2009.
“I do not think Maldivians want any help from Israel or want to keep up relations with Israel,” said Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon who has described recent attacks on UN shelters in Gaza as “cowardly and shameful”.
During last week’s meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, the Maldives joined 28 other member states in calling for an independent inquiry into Israel’s violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in Palestine.
Maldivian citizens have also donated over MVR2million (US$130,000) to the Gaza Fund which will be distributed via the Qatari Red Crescent after August 17.
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This incident had occurred since those tourist got made when they saw anti-Israel banners put on the Island.
They damaged those banners and people got upset about that . This is how it started.
Those tourist who stayed in the Island should not have done it in then first place and they have come for Holiday and not play israeli politics.
Tourists from Israel are not guilty in political games/
In Israel living many nationality including arabs muslim/And they dont want to go back to Palestine because life level much higher in Israel /But Hamas launches rockets especially to provoke counter strike from Israel/Hamas never worried about Palestine peoples just only about money on their foreign bank accounts/So war is necessary for Palestine leaders to make money/
Guesthouse tourism, tourism in general is entering a new chapter in Maldives. Thulusdhoo Island was booming with surfing tourists. Incidents like these are prone to become more common in Maldives. Today this happened in Thulusdhoo, and there is the possibility similar incidents may happen in resorts as well. It is unfortunate that the government and the tourism operators did not foresee this happening. Clearly the conflict in Gaza is generating a lot of animosity and opposition towards Israelis. Maldivians are becoming more and more emotional and aggressive in their support for the Palestinian cause. It looks like there is an organized effort to Ban Israeli tourists travelling to Maldives together with all Israeli products.
What’s regrettable is that we welcome the Israeli tourists to Maldives and then mock them, to a point where police had to travel to the island to protect the tourists and evacuate them to some unknown location. People were protesting late into the night burning flags. It could have ended much worse. The protestors have stated they will continue with their protest until the government bans all Israeli tourists from visiting Maldives. Since tourism started in Maldives, visitors of all nationalities were welcome to travel to Maldives. This is one of the few countries in the world with the easiest entry requirements for tourists. Now this is about to change. Maldives being a country which is extremely dependent on tourism should take caution in handling delicate situations like these, if mishandled it can lead to irreversible damage. If the Israeli tourists cannot safely spend their holiday in Maldives, the government must evaluate the situation and take swift and responsible measures, it would be better to ban Israelis from coming here rather than face repeated incidents like this or much worse.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been there for ages. It doesn’t appear to end anytime soon, both parties must end violence and come to an agreement. There cannot be a military solution. While the Israelis have the blessing of America, what is sad is that the oil rich Arab countries don’t seem to care enough to help bring an end to the conflict. By banning Israelis travelling to a little country like Maldives will help nobody. It would be wiser to take the tourist dollars from them so that Maldivians will have some spare money to donate for the Palestinians. Today Maldivians are calling for a travel ban for the Israeli citizens, tomorrow it will be for all Jews and who knows next the Americans. Maldives needs to decide on the direction this country is headed; the political leaders need to collectively address the serious issues and address them before it leads to tragedy.
@Miranda. Tourists are not guilty and they should also not destroy anti-Israel banners in Islands . Those banners are meant for the barbaric leaders from Israel who are killing innocent children in Palestine.
Why these tourist had gets offended having seen those banners and placards ?
Should those people hd not destroyed those things, they would have been able to enjoy the beautiful Island of Thlusshoo.
It is complete nonsense to get their dollars and place anti-Israel banners in front of them.That is pure insult and that is why they reacted. Better you could have refused entry for them to the country.
My apology on behalf of like minded Maldivians for the inconvenience this has caused our Israeli guests in Maldives.
Not all Maldivians sympathize with the terrorist organizations (HAMAS, ISLAMIC JIHAD etc) that runs the Gaza.
While most Maldivians blindly accept what their Islamofacist leaders tell and anti-Israeli media (both local and international) tell and protrude clearly anti-Semitic and hateful, remarks there are some Maldivians like myself see why Israel needs to do what it is doing right now.
The reality is HAMAS and other groups inside GAZA have been firing rockets into ISRAEL ever since Israel unilaterally withdrew from GAZA in 2007. So to put this in perspective, this would like if a militant organization that runs lets say the TAMIL regions of Sri Lanka firing rockets to Villages/Islands of Maldives on a continuing basis..... I am assuming that Maldivian citizens would like their government to stop those attacks...similarly Israeli citizens want peace.... GAZA has not been an occupied territory since 2007 !!!
Yes Israel has blockage (land, sea< air) that prevents HAMAS from being able to bring anything in the territory that could potentially be made into a bomb/rocket !! But guess what....Egypt...a Muslim nation has the same policy/blockade too.... I wonder what Egypt would do if their villages got rocket fire/suicide bombers on a regular basis.... I think readers can imagine a much bloody conflict with more deaths...because unlike most countries in that reason...ISRAEL actually does make an earnest effort to follow Geneva conventions and protect civilians.
And another little fact probably not widely reported in media Maldivians are tuned to...
Most of the good that come into the GAZA are unfortunately not used by the average citizens need...rather it is used for the benefit of HAMAS... to build their tunnels/bunkers to protect themselves if they ever found themselves in conflict...unlike ISRAEL which spends inordinate amount of money to built bunkers etc to protects its civilians that live near Gaza from continuous rocket attacks !!!
There must be something wrong when senior HAMAS members and their associates can drive the latest Lamborghini when the average Palestinian lives in a camp and goes for food stamps !!!!
Also interesting to note...that the major attacks that have killed civilians in the GAZA like the attack on SHIFA hospital area/ UNWRA school...actually results from HAMAS misfiring their own rockets into these places.... probably not widely reported on known in Maldives....
The bottom-line is no sovereign country in the world including the PLO government based out of West Bank would ever accept indiscriminate rocket fire on their villages/cities !!!
Which is probably why even ABBAS is criticizing HAMAS... and probably again not widely known in the MALDIVES
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-10/abbas-lashes-out-at-hamas-for-barraging-israel-with-rockets
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2008/12/2008122813459308175.html
Hope there will be peace in that region soon, and that can only happen when the Arabs/Muslims (FYI Maldivians thiere are non-Muslim Arabs that live in Palestinian areas and Arab world) in that region accept a Jewish/Multicultural state: Israel's right to exists...
Dearest Ahmed, freedom of speech is indeed a choice of democracy and should be any person's legal right and privilege to exploit. However, what happened in Thulusdhoo is not the case, I was present the whole time, since the second it started to the minute it ended. Due to the large size of Israeli presence in the island's surf break, local protestors decided to act and hang up anti-Israeli signs. For example, Israeli flag equals Nazi sign. With minimum knowledge of what the Holocaust means I am sure that sign would not have been up there. Regardless of that, the locals are responsible for inflating the situation by teasing the 30 some Israelis by hanging all sorts of Anti-Israeli (Not pro-Palestinian - big difference) signs right infront of the surf break where there are mostly Israelis. The one expected reaction happened and everyone is shocked?! A random Israeli tears apart a sign and 200 locals throw rocks and try to beat the crap out of the group. That is not fair. It is not acceptable. It is not Humane, and the blame cannot fall over the Israelis whose only goal was to catch them waves.
On to the big issue, I am sure Maldivian civilians know little about wars. Unfortunately I know a lot about it. I grew up in Israel and lived all my life there. Waking up in the middle of the night to the loud sound of an alarm alerting about an incoming rocket numerous times is a normal routine for a majority in Israel. Not only in the past month, but for most our lives. That is not a way to live. I know little people around the world who live that way. I claim there is not a single country in the world that allow its' citizens to overgo such a terrible reality. Unfortunaly, it is most of Israeli population's reality. The Israeli army was very patient at the beginning awaiting orders from PM Benjamin N. to move in. Hamas "soldiers" would go under the tunnels into Israeli territory with one intent - terrorize Israelis. Do you know a single country in the world that would stand by and wait for such terror to abuse its' lack of naivety? I truly don't. Hamas is hiding behind hospitals. Hamas is hiding behind kindergardens. Hamas is hiding behind schools. Hamas is hiding behind every place that would make Israel's job impposible to avoid being crucified by the media. Israel can no longer stand by. It must clear Gaza of weapons. It must destroy Hamas.
I assure you I intend no harm to anyone. I prefer peace over any gun shooting. I want everyone to get a long. I want to sleep through the night without a threat. I want Palestinians to live peacefully just like us.
@josh Please contact me at [email protected]
Great! That takes care of the Israeli tourists for this season.
Now you brain dead people need to scare away the remaining tourists from Britain, Germany, France, Scandinavia and China. Just get the bearded members of the Islamic Ministry to go on another tedious SAVE THE PALESTINIANS rampage.....whilst shouting slogans of hate and frothing at the mouth.
I think the Israelis should also put up anti Maldivian signs on their beaches and airports and especially in the visa sections of their embassies.....and re book their Maldives holidays in Goa and Kerala.
With the Israelis banished from your caliphate, when are you guys going on jihad to Gaza?
Do make sure you don't get an Israeli rocket up your azz.
Come on guys, if you want defeat Israel, you have to destroy their economy. Now I do understand banning Israeli products though Maldivian banning is insignificant but a symbolic one. But why harass Israeli Tourist? IF you let Israeli Tourist come and drain their economy through tourist spending In Maldives and the same money if you can donate for Hamas to purchase rockets, would it not be wise?
You guys even don’t learn from Holy Quran :
And they plotted and Plotted Allah...and Allah is the best Plotter
الْمَاكِرِينَ خَيْرُ وَاللّهُ اللّهُ وَمَكَرَ وَمَكَرُواْ
I say we boycott Israel and their ally the US too. After all it is American one sided backing of Israel which allows them to act with impunity.
Let's grab all the US Dollar notes we can find and burn them at Republic Square. That will teach the Americans not to mess with our Muslim brethren.
Meanwhile praise be to Hafez al Assad for beating the Israeli score (of killing Muslim children) during the same period. Assad is a good Muslim so that's all good.
As if hate, intolerance and ignorance wasn't enough to sink our once great religion and culture, we now have to deal with stupidity too.
But Josh you want peace whilst denying millions of people a passport, freedom to move, freedom to trade and those people to accept your right to have a nation state which was formed as a result of people being forced from their homes and land they had lived on for generations. Yes, peace, for you, but not peace for The Palestinians, well, yes, peace for them, just no justice, that is what you want.
MissIndia If they can't go to Maldives on vacation they will go to some other worthwhile place, not to your disgusting country
The Israeli-Palestinian conundrum in context from the states inception, by a nice Jew who grew up in Israel.
@Josh I hope you take your time to look at this and give a ponder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOaxAckFCuQ
I learnt today Isralis evacuated all the settlements from Gaza and handed over Gaza to Abbas on the condition Gaza will be demilitarized. Unfortunately Gaza's control was wrested by Hamas and they provoked Isralis by launching rockets and attacking Israel through a network of tunnels. Palestinians have to , even it is a bitter pill to swallow to accept the exist ace of Israel and live peacefully and harmony with Israel and upgrade the ordinary citizens of the Gaza. The extremist approach leave no room for the world to support Palestinians and this empty retoric from bearded Mullahs will never bring peace to our brothers and sisters in Palastine. Let's be pragmatic and learn to live side by side with Isralis for they are stronger and have the backing from USA, a powerful superpower as their ally. Let's hope this conflict will end sooner and bring relief to the whole world let alone Palastinions
This time Israel attacked palestine first and not Hamas. Check the facts.
No matter people say, Israel is terrorizing the region and they are doing a genocide at Gaza.
Look at how many civilian, children and women were killed by Israel and look at how many israelis got killed. Hamas attacks were targeted to criminal and army only civilian causalities are no there at all.
As some one witness the Thulsdhoo event, Israeli tourist who visited the island destroyed the banners and that is how it started. What Adsam said is not correct.
Those banners were there for some time and it was put in support of GAZA and not against those tourists
@Daniel Bosley, you will quickly realize after any future conversation you may have with the likes of Josh, that it is absolutely impossible to have a reasoned dialogue with any Zionist. You will only hear the standard lying racist propaganda with which we are all depressingly familiar.
I suggest you watch the YouTube video entitled "Israelis in Tel Aviv 26.7.2014: "There's no school tomorrow,there's no children left in Gaza! Oleh!"
You will quickly lose any sympathy for the "poor Israelis" who suffered some minor inconvenience on their luxury holiday in Maldives.
@Derek. Minivan editor has given contact details to him knowing the fact that Josh had not told it correctly.
Since Minivan will go extra miles on issues that they think will have slightest negative impact on Maldives, they will try hard to twist and make huge fuss out of it.
Since this media is read by many foreigners thinking that this is unbiased media but Minivan is losing this ground since many readers are now becoming aware of hidden agenda by Minivan .
@hero I simply want to hear more about what happened. Attempts are also being made to contact Maldivian protesters involved in the incident.
I think this is something you would also be interested in reading and would expect your comments.
Constantly publishing your baseless accusations should make clear that we have no 'agenda'.
However, our comment guidelines do state that repeated attempts to smear our site or its journalists will not be tolerated.
Thanks for contributing to the debate.
Hero. Maldives should ban Israeli tourists rather than encourage their business and then spit in their face. You cant have it both ways. This is maldives idea of tourism. Come to paradise, spend dollars and receive threats and insults. Those signs were direct threat to israeli surfers. Put up to insult and demean paying customers. Just like that inbred jerk who insulted couple in dhivehi during their wedding ceremony few years back. You guys love infidel money and always ready for a handout. But still want the freedom to treat us like trash.
I believe we now have several news sites like CNM where journalists can publish articles critical of government or debate different issues in our society. I fully support sites where people can exercise their views freely within the boundaries of democracy. However, it is very clear that Minivannews repeatedly publish articles that tarnish the image of Maldives and mock Islam. These are against the guidelines set by Maldivian authorities’ incharge of regulating the media. I call on these authorities to block this site.
Guys freedom of speech has no boundaries….
When it comes mocking other religions and other nationalities there is no boundary for Maldivians. It is funny these cry babies can write anything about what they dislike and Mininvan never hesitate to publish such rubbish and no one on the other side of spectrum cares what they write. Guys if you don’t like to read anything that boils your temper just don’t read it and if you read it then try finding the truth instead of being stupid believing you are always right. When you believe others are wrong why you can’t just simply be wrong for others. So it is better shut the F***** .
The truth is Israeli has power to annihilate the whole Arab world but still they are human enough to restrain and only attack when they are attacked. All blockades on Palestine is simply precautionary measures in their defense. Think for a moment if Arabs have the power to wipe Israel from the face of earth you do math it will not take 60 Years to wipe them out. If they can they will do it overnight. And if you can digest this fact then you have something wrong in your brain and seek medical attention.
Those who comment negative on Maldives and their religion are simply Maldivians and you have to accept that fact that your closed society is no more closed and you have to learn to tolerate things that you have no nerve to stand for it.
Maldivians tarnish their country's reputation and mock Islam. Minivan only reports the stories. Here is a culture thats based on denying truth and facts. The messenger only tells what he sees. Just because people like hero and ban minivan believe the lies they tell themselves, doesnt make them true. Every free country has media that report negative stories. Its what real journalists do. If you dont like it then stop stealing, cheating, lieing, scamming and raping children. Minivan doesnt make maldivians do these things. They only write what you people do here.
The rules of media in the global age if different. Better to be aware of the OBVIOUS agenda of Minivannews. Banning would be boring and impractical. And besides, we are too far way from salacious British tabloids. The homesick Brit expats here should also have something to fulfill the need for gossip too.
Minivannews has a niche for Maldives news only because Haveeru is poor in promoting its English website. Until Haveeru come to its senses, people have to read something.
Lateef,
First of all, the state of Israel was settled and established about 1000 years BD and became the United Israel. It wasn’t until about 1000 years AD that it was settled by Arabs, and conquered by the Brits around the 1800’s, and legally back to the Israelis at 1948, following the end of World War II, where the holocaust took place and 6 Million Jews were brutally murdered. So as for whose home it is, try to answer it this time.
As for denying passports, freedom to move and trade, and have a nation of their own – This situation in Israel has been alive and kicking for quite some time. There have been peace talks about a Palestinian country with its own territory since I can remember myself; the main problem is Jerusalem, which is currently in Israel’s territory. Check your history through Wikipedia, and tell me who it belongs to. The day Palestinians understand which nation Jerusalem belongs to, will be the day the peace agreement be signed, and a Palestinian country created. As for the blockade, as Adsam posted above, is an absolute necessity for the Israeli nation to preserve a relatively warless era. Not that it works, but it helps minimize the damage.
I assure you Lateef, I am not subjective to the Israeli media, I’ve done the army, I’ve lost brothers in arms, I’ve watched Israeli media, foreign media, and can conclude that all media is biased. It’s all up to our governments to find a way to co-exist, so our children and their children can live through a better reality.
Hero,
It’s nice for you to disregard me and expect people to blindly believe you, fortunately for human kind, we got the internet.
I can say with full conscience that I disagree with every single statement that you said. The latest war “Zuk Eitan” began following 2 incidents – the first being three Israeli youngsters (2 of them 16 year old, and the last 19 year old) being hijacked and savagely murdered by 3 Hamas terrorists, where they infiltrated Israel using the tunnel system Hamas built using every bit of money they received from every organization including Israeli government trying to help Gaza progress. Following this incident, before discovering of the boys’ death, the army went on an operation looking for them in the Yehuda and Shomron territory, while searching for the boys, Hamas began shooting rockets on a daily basis, whilst Israel was warning them again and again. When Hamas reached 80 rockets shot on one day, Israel initiated “Zuk Eitan” operation and began taking out tunnels by air strikes. Hamas then started firing hundreds of rockets every day, day by day, and then Israel went in by foot. The reason for the big difference of casualties between both sides of war is that Hamas is hiding behind a lot of populated areas on purpose. Before every air strike, Israel would drop thousands of flyers by air announcing it’s about to strike so that innocent people can leave in time. Another example would be the big hospital that was bombed, I am sure you can find the tape recording online where you can hear an Israeli representative addressing the hospital’s teller and making sure there is no one left inside before they bombed the place. However, Hamas is forcing citizens to remain in those places, as well as many others. On the Israeli side, the number is not low, but a long way from Gaza, is because our government forces us to go down to the shelters, not remain where danger is. Did you seriously say that Hamas was only shooting soldiers? Dude, you got to grow up and read something.
I am sorry for causing a big mess over here. I don’t think this is the medium for this dispute. I just want us all to get along.
No other news source in maldives employs actual journalists. The rest are all government propaganda outlets. Yes, minivan has an agenda. They support free speach and human rights along with factual reporting. Just because maldivians dont like facts being reported, doesnt make facts any less true. Minivan promotes democratic ideals in a country run by lslamic dictatorship. Of course they will offend those who protect the thieves and rapists with their holy ideals.
Regarding the whole new wesites, biased unbiased dispute, my original post was a response to a comment on the Haveeru site, which didn't post my comment, forcing me to move on to the next site where they did allow. Meaning Haveeru do not support a democratical freedom of speech.
@Josh
There was a confederate of different tribes and kingdoms in Cannaan before the Hebrews moved in, and later the clan of Yehuza established the Judea.
Jerusalem is controlled by Israel now, but in the original agreement, the city was to be controlled by both parties. True such a solution is a problem now.
You can talk about Hamas on Israel, and 10 times as much can be said about Israel against Palestine, its a story of David/Palestine and Goliath/Israel.
No ones gonna take such loose comments seriously now, too much has been exposed.
Tourists this is a warning, you go to maldives at your own risk,because thugs like hero and his friend will hound the hell out of you,today it is Israel, tomorrow it could be China,India or any other country having conflict with muslims
All Israelis are not bad and there are many Israelis who believe that what is happening in Gaza is not right and many of the people consider that as another holocaust .
Former president Nasheed and his Gangs are the people who creates violence in this country. Even Thulusdhoo incidence is fueled by them.
Maldivian does not go around mocking other nationalities and we are living with multiple ethnic and religious people. As long as those people who does not force us to change our religion and our culture i don't think we have any issue.
But others all need to learn to live in our society and also need to respect our culture too
I'd like to set the record straight on a few points: my son (aged 16) was one of the Israeli tourists evacuated. The facts as described in the article are accurate. The single Israeli who took down one sign was probably wrong to do so (freedom of speech and all that), but the danger and fear encountered by my son's group and others is unacceptable. My son and his friends have nothing but good things to say about the locals and the authorities who protected them. It is unfair and unwise to mix politics and tourism, especially in countries far from the scene and with a limited grasp on the facts (not the propaganda).
Despite the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people, the civilians on both sides are being held hostage by a vicious terror organization called Hamas. Israel has agreed to a ceasefire 5 times in the past week and 5 times Hamas has refused.
No one in Israel wants innocent civilians to die, neither in Gaza or in Israel. And a final comment about maintaining proportions: 150,000 innocent Arab civilians have been slaughtered by their brothers in Syria and the world remains silent.
"Maldivian does not go around mocking other nationalities and we are living with multiple ethnic and religious people. As long as those people who does not force us to change our religion and our culture i don’t think we have any issue."
All of above is absolutely wrong. Religious "scholars" and government officials mock other cultures and religions every day here in Maldives. Especially in their public sermons. What happened in Thulusdhoo is a perfect example of the kind of "respect" that's given to foreigners. There is no multi cultural society in Maldives. Foreigners are "free" to do and say what they want in private only as long as there are no Maldivians present to tell the police. That's fine since the privileged foreigners can leave at any time (migrant slaves another story). But this is not a society that respects other cultures, religions, ideas, etc. And to say so is a massive lie. The only thing that Maldivians respect about foreigners is their USD.
Here's the kind of respect they give tourists here in paradise.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11644328
Good job Minivan
Its funny that the largest and the established newspaper 'Haveeru' allows comments on Dhivehi but not in English. If they do, people would get a more accurate picture of Maldives thinking. Minivan is just a fringe opinion, but nonetheless, do what they do well. Good job
@Mike: Most Maldivians are trained to instinctively hate and kill anyone labeled as 'yahoodhee'. That's how dictators kept them stupid and repressed for decades on end.
Y'know, like how Pavlov got dogs to salivate at the ringing of a bell?
Just so you know... all of you people that are contributing to Gaza even through legitimate organizations and off coarse through Qatar, and I'm sure you all do it from the right reasons of wanting to help a population with real and horrible crises that lives in Gaza, you are all being misled.
Practically all of your money is going to Hamas and not the civilians! Hamas does nothing on behalf of the welfare of Palestinians, and all the money which doesn't go to the bank accounts of Hamas leaders (and they take a lot of money) goes to financing terror against Israeli civilians, through rockets (which are being fired to Israel for more than ten years!), tunnels which cost fortune to build including using all the concrete that is brought to Gaza (even by... Israel) instead of building houses, hospitals and schools, and also used for financing suicide bombers which they try to deploy against Israeli civilians.
All of these are being conducted even though as I would like to believe, most of the Palestinians would like peace with Israel as most Israelis do but are being terrorized by their own "government" which is nothing but a terror organization which is being fueled by foreign countries with their own agendas which has nothing to do with Palestine nor Palestinians, such as Iran and Qatar.
The inevitable and horrible result of all those efforts, considering the clear military advantage for Israel, the using of civilians by Hamas to protect their combatants and the fact that Israelis will stay in Israel, a land which was built from absolutely nothing and that was given independence through legal process in the U.N., only to be attacked by 6 (!!) Arab countries the next day following the U.N. decision, and which is in struggle for existence ever since, will result in a lot of dead civilians, even though Israel is making great efforts to avoid that which no other military in the world does, such as warning the civilians before attacking and demanding evacuation of the area.
So if you donate to Gaza, and regardless of your just intentions, YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS! but not only Israeli blood, but Palestinians civilians' blood including women and children which are being dragged to the conflict by Hamas which uses your money to do so!!!
Just wonder when will this crap end!
What cannot be understood is that people not believing in that neither Israel or Palestine is ready to stop inflicting aggression upon each other!
It is known fact that as long as America is with Israel, they will not stop! And, as long as Palestinian live, they are not going to stop!
These people are so thick-headed that neither of them peoples are going to listen to anyone! And, they want DO NOT want to abide by any agreement or any rules! LA!
So how is this going to end?
Dear Josh,
"I want Palestinians to live peacefully just like us."
without dignity, respect and sovereignty nobody gives a shit about peace. especially those who have lost all of their families in a matter of seconds.
you don't see anything wrong in taking the land from the Palestinians and threaten them like subhuman, in their own land? and you wonder why they have so strong resistance?
It will end with nukes uh dho
I wonder why our former president Nasheed is posting anti-israeli comments on Twitter in dhivehi.
Funnist thing here is that "Maldivians" posting laughable hasbara about how Israel is so "humane", "restrained" and in the right in broken English probably consider themselves smarter and more enlightened than their "stupid" countrymen. That Manichean Westoxified world view which considers anything or anyone Muslim automatically bad or in the wrong, while the Non-Muslim side is considered automatically virtuous and in the right.
The incident was bad for all involved but the worse for the local business and guest houses ,
There is going to be along time before tourists will feel safe enough to come to a place that can change from heaven to hell in minutes ,
This is not what surfers are looking for nor tourists from any other kind
It can be Israelites today and Europeans or Australians or Americans tmrw ,
If the Maldives government will not take an immediate action the country will become Iran ,
You must take this incident very very seriously if you want your tourists business to continue
Aloha
The Maldives does not need Zionist tourists or there money. Tourist from UK, England, Israel, German, US or Japan should all stay away!! What Maldives needs will be provided by Allah from the sea. It is shameful for Muslims to run guest houses and serve Jews... even Muslimah walk around unclothed to be ogled by these tourists. They must all leave Maldives before something worst happens letting this serve as the warning.