In a controversial move, the Trump administration has unveiled a $30 billion plan to rebuild the war-ravaged Gaza Strip from scratch, sparking concerns among Palestinian civilians. Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East advisor, presented the “New Gaza” initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, showcasing plans for gleaming cities, AI-powered skyscrapers, and seaside resorts.
However, the plan has been met with scepticism and outrage from Palestinians, who feel that their voices have been completely sidelined. Hekmat al-Masri, a social development specialist and mother of one, stated that the fact that American and Israeli forces have already begun demolitions in the city of Rafah without the consent of homeowners is “transforming forced displacement into a development opportunity.”
Rajai al-Shatli, a Palestinian media producer who is currently displaced, warned that the plan is “the first step towards ending the entire Palestinian national project.” A senior UN official, who wished to remain anonymous, cautioned that the new cities are being developed “on the rubble of people’s homes, without efforts to retrieve the dead trapped underneath it.”
The plan, spearheaded by Kushner, has also been criticised for its lack of Palestinian representation. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician in the occupied West Bank, questioned, “How can they have a plan for Gaza without consulting its people: the Palestinians?”
As the Trump administration pushes forward with its controversial “Board of Peace” initiative, which includes representatives from a diverse mix of 29 countries, the people of Gaza fear that their voices and their very existence are being erased in the pursuit of a real estate development project. The New Gaza plan, they warn, is a “moral failure” and a dangerous step towards the end of any future Palestinian state.
