No Rasmalé property will be sold to Israelis, Muizzu says

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has assured that no property developed under the Rasmalé Waterfront and Marina project will be sold to Israeli nationals, rejecting claims that the development could lead to the establishment of an Israeli or Jewish population in the Maldives.

Speaking in a new episode of The Pulse, a programme produced by the President’s Office on Tuesday, Muizzu addressed concerns raised by opposition figures over the project being developed by UAE-based Eagle Hills.

Opposition figures have questioned whether the project could allow Israeli nationals to purchase properties in Rasmalé or establish a presence in the Maldives, making it a major point of contention surrounding the proposed development.

Muizzu denied claims that the project would facilitate the establishment of a Jewish population in Rasmalé, assuring that no property within the development would be sold to Israeli nationals.

The assurance follows earlier statements by Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib, who said safeguards would prevent Israeli nationals and Israeli-controlled entities from purchasing property in the development.

The minister outlined proposed restrictions covering buyers, beneficial owners, shareholders, financiers and sales agents, alongside nationality declaration requirements intended to prevent Israeli ownership.

The Rasmalé Waterfront and Marina project is being developed through an agreement between the Maldivian government and Eagle Hills, with the government projecting substantial revenue from the development over the coming decade.

The project has faced political scrutiny over its scale, long-term land arrangements and transparency, alongside concerns about foreign ownership and the potential implications of the agreement.

Muizzu has previously maintained that land under the project would be leased rather than sold to foreign parties, and that the development would proceed within the country’s legal framework.