Sri Lankan Activists Urge Government to Scrap Visa-Free Entry for Israelis

Sri Lankan Activists Demand End to Visa-Free Policy for Israeli Nationals.

Sri Lankan civil society groups are urging President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to revoke a recent government decision granting visa-free entry to Israeli nationals, calling it a betrayal of the country’s historic solidarity with Palestine.

The visa exemption, announced last month by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath as part of a broader policy to boost tourism and aid economic recovery, extends to 40 countries — including Israel. The inclusion of Israel has sparked protests and widespread backlash from rights activists, political figures, and ordinary citizens.

Demonstrators have held rallies outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding Israel’s removal from the policy.

“This policy was introduced while the world is witnessing what many — including Israeli human rights organizations — call a genocide in Gaza,” said Thanzeela Ousman, a protester. “Our government is offering free access to Israeli nationals, effectively rewarding an aggressive state.”

Human rights lawyer Swasthika Arulingam warned of national security risks, citing Israel’s mandatory military service. “Most Israeli citizens are members of the IDF. Encouraging them to visit Sri Lanka is a security concern,” she said. Arulingam also criticized the policy as hypocritical, noting Sri Lanka’s longstanding diplomatic support for Palestine and backing of numerous UN resolutions condemning Israeli actions.

“You can’t oppose war crimes and then invite those committing them for recreation,” she added. “During the 1940s, it would’ve been like inviting the Nazis to holiday in Sri Lanka. It’s very similar.”

Concerns have also surfaced over misconduct by Israeli tourists. Earlier this year, the government pledged action over reported illegal activities by Israeli nationals in Arugam Bay, a popular coastal destination. Civil society groups have called for stricter screening and vetting after reports that an accused Israeli soldier had entered the country as a tourist.

Lawmaker Mujeebur Rahman condemned the decision in a letter to the president, calling it “shameful” and warning that it allows “credibly accused war criminals” to enter the country unchecked, while Palestine remains excluded from the visa-free list.

“Your government’s decision… will inevitably land you and Sri Lanka among the international rejects complicit in the genocide,” he wrote.

Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed over 61,100 Palestinians and wounded more than 151,400, according to Gaza’s health authorities. A study published in The Lancet warned that the actual death toll may be significantly higher due to underreporting and deaths from starvation, untreated injuries, and lack of medical aid.

Shaamil Hussein of the Free Palestine Movement of Sri Lanka said the move risks eroding public trust and moral credibility. “Many Sri Lankans deeply empathize with the Palestinian struggle,” he said. “This policy sends the wrong message — that economic benefits outweigh our principles.”

So far, there has been no formal response from the government regarding the growing calls to reverse the policy.