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Anti-Semitism and Europhobia
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| The position of chief Islamic cleric has now been effectively re-instated. The incumbent is the current chief justice, who is a member of the al-Azhar cell |
First published in July 2001 and edited on 26 September 2009
The State of Israel was the first country to send an ambassador to Malé after the United Kingdom relinquished control over Maldive external relations. The ambassador of the Jewish State presented his credentials at the Eterekoilu to His Majesty King Mohamed Farid in 1965. This made the Maldives the first Muslim country to recognise the State of Israel and establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. The Chief Justice of the time, Mohamed Jameel Didi, who was, ex officio, the chief Islamic cleric, made a representation to the King advising His Majesty not to receive the Israeli ambassador. The King did not receive his advice. As Jameel Didi's constitutional role precluded him from interfering with political decisions, he was persuaded to resign. Subsequently the old office of chief cleric which combined judicial and Islamic functions was disbanded and the judiciary modernised. The Maldives withdrew
recognition from the Jewish State in the late 1970's under pressure
from a cell of pseudo-Islamic activists who were students at Egypt's
al-Azhar medrasah (Islamic
seminary) in the 1950's and 1960's. By the late 1970's some members
of this cell had manoeuvred their way to positions of influence
with the backing of oil-rich Arab states. One of them was Jameel
Didi's son.
A quarter of a century on, the cell still clings on to power. 
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