Indian-born real estate tycoon Puthan Naduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha Menon sat in the Dubai headquarters of his Sobha Realty firm, pitching a group of Israeli reporters on why their countrymen should buy a home in his sprawling $4 billion Hartland project.

In the next building stood a model showing off the 183-acre (743-dunam) project, with sleek residential towers, modern low-slung apartment buildings and row after row of villas and duplexes being built near the heart of Dubai.