Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former senior White House adviser, has described Gaza’s coastline as “very valuable” waterfront property and suggested Israel should move civilians out while it “cleans up” the strip. The comments were made during an interview at Harvard University on 15 February, later posted on YouTube by the Middle East Initiative.
Kushner, who helped craft the Trump administration’s Middle East peace plan, said that from Israel’s perspective he would “do my best to move the people out and then clean it up.” He added that he did not think Israel had stated it would not allow residents to return afterwards. He also proposed bulldozing an area in the Negev desert to create a secure zone for displaced Gazans, saying: “I would just bulldoze something in the Negev, I would try to move people in there … so you can go in and finish the job.”
The remarks drew a surprised response from the interviewer, Professor Tarek Masoud, who asked whether such ideas were being discussed in Israel. Kushner replied that he was “sitting in Miami Beach” and thinking about what he would do if he were there. When pressed on whether Palestinians who flee Gaza would be allowed to return under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kushner paused and said: “Maybe.”
Kushner also criticised the use of resources in Gaza, lamenting that money had gone into tunnels and munitions rather than education and innovation. He described the idea of a Palestinian state as “a super bad idea” that would “reward an act of terror.” The interview offers a glimpse into potential Middle East policy if Trump returns to the White House, including efforts to normalise ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
