Kushner's Davos Blueprint for 'New Gaza' Met With Fierce Palestinian Resistance
Donald Trump's administration has unveiled a controversial $30 billion real estate plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip from the ground up, a vision immediately condemned by displaced Palestinian families and United Nations officials as a "moral failure" that threatens the very future of Palestinian statehood. The ambitious blueprint, presented by Trump's son-in-law and senior Middle East advisor Jared Kushner at the World Economic Forum in Davos, promises sparkling AI-generated cities, glitzy seaside resorts, and industrial zones rising from the ashes of the war-ravaged enclave.
'Built on Graveyards': UN Official Issues Grave Warning
A senior UN official, speaking anonymously due to fears of reprisal, delivered a stark assessment of the proposed development. "Real estate development is always a great project - except when it's developed on the rubble of people's homes," the official stated. "These new residences will be built on the graveyards of countless unidentified Gazans who were killed during the war." This chilling warning underscores the immense human cost buried beneath the proposed construction sites, with the UN estimating Gaza is covered in over 60 million tonnes of rubble that may take seven years to clear.
Palestinian Voices Systematically Excluded From Planning
In a telling indication of the plan's unilateral nature, Kushner announced a transitional committee to oversee Gaza's reconstruction. However, the body's name was presented in backwards, unintelligible Arabic letters that could not be read - a symbolic representation of the complete absence of Palestinian consultation. Displaced families living in tent cities north of Rafah expressed profound alarm at their exclusion from decisions about their homeland's future.
Hekmat al-Masri, a 46-year-old social development specialist and mother, condemned the ongoing demolitions in Rafah being carried out by American and Israeli teams without homeowner consent. "This is transforming forced displacement into a development opportunity," she argued. Rajai al-Shatli, a Palestinian media producer also displaced by the conflict, warned more starkly: "This is the first step towards ending the entire Palestinian national project."
Kushner's Vision: AI Cities Rising From Rubble
The detailed presentation in Davos featured futuristic renderings of what Kushner termed "New Gaza," complete with modern skyscrapers, luxury resorts along what he previously called "some of the world's most beautiful beaches," and advanced industrial zones. Unperturbed by criticism, Kushner implored the international community to "put away your concerns" and invest in the vision, claiming it represented phase two of a Trump-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
"We need you to come, take faith, invest in the people, try to be a part of it," Kushner urged global leaders, revealing that demolition work had already begun in the Israeli-controlled city of Rafah. This comes despite nearly a million Palestinians being forced to flee Rafah during Israel's bombardment, with many remaining displaced in makeshift camps.
Controversial 'Board of Peace' Launches Amid Diplomatic Absences
The unveiling coincided with Donald Trump inaugurating his controversial Board of Peace, initially tasked with implementing post-war plans for Gaza. Representatives from 29 countries signed on, including Gulf nations alongside unexpected participants like Azerbaijan, Paraguay, and Mongolia. Notably absent were traditional US allies including the United Kingdom, European Union members, and Canada - raising questions about the initiative's international legitimacy.
Mounting Casualties Undermine Reconstruction Claims
The proposed reconstruction unfolds against a devastating backdrop. Palestinian health officials report Israel's bombardment has killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza over two years, including thousands of children. Even with a Trump-brokered ceasefire theoretically in place since October 10, Palestinian officials report Israeli troops have killed at least 470 Palestinians in Gaza recently, including three journalists this week alone and numerous children.
Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician in the occupied West Bank, identified the fundamental flaw in Kushner's approach: "How can they have a plan for Gaza without consulting its people: the Palestinians?" This sentiment was echoed throughout displacement camps, where families insisted Gaza needs "an end to the aggression, a guarantee of accountability" rather than "political real estate brokers." As al-Masri concluded, "Any plan that bypasses the Palestinians is a moral failure" - a warning that hangs heavily over the glittering Davos presentation of Gaza's proposed future.
