MOSCOW, July 31 (RIA Novosti) – Some 30 Israeli tourists had to leave their Maldivan resort after one of them pulled down an anti-Israeli placard equating the Israeli flag with a Nazi swastika, AFP reported citing officials Wednesday.
The tourists were evacuated to safety from Thulusdhoo island as the Israeli’s move was vehemently protested by the Muslim Sunni-dominated population of the archipelago, who unequivocally support Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.
The Maldives are increasingly taking measures to express their stiff opposition to Israel. They notably introduced a ban on Israeli-made goods and annulled three cooperation agreements on health, tourism and education.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive on July 8, targeting the Hamas movement and its allied groups of rebels in response to Palestinian aggression. On July 17, following days of fighting, Tel Aviv switched to a ground offensive to find and destroy the network of Hamas tunnels that crisscross the border area.
