Housing Minister Dr. Abdullah Muththalib has responded in detail to public concerns over the large waterfront and marina project planned in Rasmalé by the well-known UAE company Eagle Hills, giving full assurance that Israeli citizens and any company linked to Israel will under no circumstances be given the opportunity to buy land or property through the project.
The main concern raised by opposition parties over the project is the fear that Israelis or Zionists could be settled in Rasmalé and given the opportunity to own land and property in the Maldives. Responding to this, Minister Muththalib said Zionism is an ideology of bringing in and settling people from other countries to build a Jewish state on historic Palestinian land, and that Maldivians are well aware that areas such as the West Bank and the Golan Heights have been seized by military force as a result. He also noted that some parties are improperly exploiting such sentiments and the national feelings of Maldivians for political gain.
Detailing the firm measures the government has decided to take on the project, the minister said no Israeli citizen or company will be given any opportunity to invest in Rasmalé, benefit from it, become a shareholder, or act as a sales agent. He added that everyone buying property in Rasmalé, and all those who benefit from it, will be legally required to disclose every country they belong to, and a rule will be put in place under which any property obtained by giving misleading information will be immediately seized by the state.
The minister said that although Israeli passports are banned in the Maldives, people with dual citizenship may be able to enter on other passports. Screening will therefore not rely on passports alone, but will thoroughly check every country a person belongs to or holds citizenship of, as well as any indirect links to Israel.
Minister Muththalib further said that investors in the Rasmalé project will receive the corporate residence visa introduced in 2015. While there was previously no barrier to Israelis obtaining that visa, he said the current government has decided not to issue it to Israeli citizens at all. Strict nationality screening will be carried out in addition to passport checks before the visa is issued, he said, assuring that foreigners will not be granted permanent Maldivian citizenship or residency.
He also said limits will be set on how much property citizens of any single country can own in Rasmalé. Since properties will be released only to buyers, no party will have the option of holding on to property permanently by renewing leases, and there will be no opportunity to sell freehold, or permanent ownership, Muththalib said.
The minister said the project's main aim is to guarantee Maldivians the first right to buy property in units developed in Rasmalé, paying in Maldivian rufiyaa. Although sales to foreigners will be subject to certain limits, no such limits will apply to Maldivians, he said.
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