Israel is settling on lands seized through military force, not in vacation homes within a sovereign nation: Muththalib

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr. Abdulla Muththalib has defended the Ras Male' project, asserting that Israeli settlers occupy lands through military force, whereas this initiative does not involve building vacation homes in a sovereign nation.

In a post regarding the project, the Minister stated that the primary public concerns surrounding the Ras Male' project do not pertain to its cost or rental policies, but are instead rooted in sentiments regarding Palestine. The Minister noted that every Maldivian feels deeply for the suffering endured by the Palestinian people over the past decade, the colonial aggression they continue to face today, and the inhumane acts of genocide being carried out in Gaza.

Muththalib stated that despite the fearmongering claims that Ras Male' could become a settlement for Zionists, this is not the case. Explaining that Zionism is a project centered on establishing a Jewish state within the borders of historic Palestine, Minister Muththalib noted that their settlement programs are designed to bring Jews from other countries to Israel, rather than relocating them to other nations.

Furthermore, the Minister stated that Israel has expanded its settlements through military force in occupied territories. He noted that there are no documented instances anywhere in the world where such colonial occupation has occurred through foreign-owned vacation homes or rental properties within a sovereign, independent nation that maintains full control over its own borders, visas, and land.

According to the Minister, those opposing the project are spreading baseless fear. He further alleged that these parties are exploiting the Palestinian struggle and the emotions of the Maldivian people for political gain, without any regard for the actual sentiments of the Palestinian people.

Furthermore, Muththalib noted that the current administration has banned entry to the Maldives on Israeli passports effective April 2025. He emphasized that it is implausible to suggest that a government which implemented such a ban would then clandestinely violate those very principles through a land transaction.

The Minister stated that Eagle Hills has also officially agreed to comply with these regulations.

Muththalib stated that although Israeli passports have been banned, the restriction applies specifically to the travel document itself rather than to Israeli citizens. He further noted that an estimated one in ten Israelis holds dual citizenship. Since Immigration authorities cannot verify whether an individual possesses a second nationality at the point of entry, those individuals would still be able to enter the country using a passport from another nation.

The Minister further stated that no Israeli citizen or Israeli-controlled entity would be permitted to participate in any stage of the ownership chain for Ras Male'. Muththalib clarified that this restriction applies to all roles, including buyers, beneficial owners, shareholders, financiers, or sales agents.