Eagle Hills will comply with Maldives' ban on Israeli passport holders, says Alabbar

Eagle Hills chairman Mohamed Alabbar has said the company's proposed Ras Malé waterfront and marina development will comply with Maldivian laws, including the ban on entry into the country using Israeli passports.

Speaking in an interview with Dhauru on Thursday, Alabbar said Eagle Hills would respect the Maldives' legal restrictions when asked whether Israeli nationals could enter the country and purchase property through the proposed development.

The Maldives introduced a legal ban on entry using Israeli passports on 15 April 2025, in response to Israel's military operations in Gaza and the killing of Palestinians.

The proposed Ras Malé development has faced criticism over concerns that property ownership and investment arrangements could provide a means for Israeli nationals to gain access to the Maldives despite the restrictions.

Asked whether the development would allow Israeli nationals to enter the country and conduct transactions, including purchasing property, Alabbar said the company would follow the laws of the Maldives.

"The laws of a country are its laws. They must be respected. We cannot act against them. If the law states that nationals of a particular country are not permitted certain opportunities, that must be respected. That is how it will be," he said.

Alabbar was also questioned about discussions surrounding the possibility of granting Maldivian residency to foreign nationals purchasing property in the Ras Malé development.

He said no specific agreement had yet been reached concerning residency rights for property buyers.

"If Maldivian laws and regulations provide for granting residency to such individuals, that is what we will follow and must follow," he said.

Alabbar said the development was intended to position the Maldives as a second-home destination, but emphasised that any residency arrangements would remain subject to national legislation.

"We are developing the Maldives as a second home. However, if the law does not permit residency to be granted, that must be respected," he said.

The government has announced plans to introduce a visa category for investors under the name "Pearl Residence Visa".

Work is under way to draft the legislation required to establish the proposed visa scheme.

The Ras Malé development is being pursued by UAE-based Eagle Hills as part of its proposed waterfront and marina investment in the Maldives. The project has prompted debate over foreign investment, property ownership and the implications of residency arrangements for overseas buyers.

Alabbar's remarks come amid questions about whether the development could create exceptions to existing immigration restrictions. He maintained that Eagle Hills would operate within the laws and regulations of the Maldives.