A 5-Star Hotel Once Stood on the Coast
Opposition Grows Over Possible U.S. Funding and Military Deployment
On the 5th (local time), an outdoor advertisement expressing gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump was installed on the front of a hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel. Following President Trump's statement about the U.S. directly occupying the Gaza Strip and developing it as a tourist destination, advertisements welcoming this have been posted mainly by Israeli far-right groups. Photo by AFP and Yonhap News
Since U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States would occupy the war-torn Gaza Strip and develop it into a resort area, debates over the feasibility of this plan have intensified.
Before the Third Middle East War, Gaza Strip was a world-renowned tourist destination with hotels and casinos mainly along the coastal area. Hamas even attracted a 5-star hotel. However, President Trump's plan to redevelop Gaza Strip as a resort faces significant challenges, including the relocation of over 2 million Gaza residents and the costs of development and military deployment that the U.S. government would have to bear, leading to strong opposition within the Republican Party.
Before the Third Middle East War, a Casino Resort... Hamas Attracted a 5-Star Hotel
Until the outbreak of the Third Middle East War in 1967, the Gaza Strip was considered a relatively stable region within the Middle East. It was well-known as a tourist destination. Various casinos and hotels were established mainly along the coastal area, making it one of the major Mediterranean tourist spots attracting visitors from Europe and the United States. However, after the Third Middle East War, political instability worsened, and frequent clashes with Israel gradually weakened the tourism industry.
According to the British BBC, hotels remained along the coastline of Gaza Strip until the clashes between Israel and Hamas began. In 2011, the 5-star Al Mashtal Hotel was built under Hamas's leadership. Later, the hotel was transferred to the Spanish company Arcmed, but it was completely destroyed during the recent conflict. Besides this, there were other luxury resorts such as the Al Deira Hotel, established in 2000 and destroyed during Israel's invasion in 2009.
President Trump's statement about turning Gaza Strip into a resort is analyzed to be based on this resort background. On the 4th (local time), Trump compared Gaza Strip to the French Riviera, a resort city in southern France, saying, "If we build good quality homes and beautiful towns, it can become the Riviera of the Middle East."
In March last year, Jared Kushner, former senior advisor to the White House and Trump's son-in-law, said at an event at Harvard University, "The real estate along the Gaza Strip coastline has great development value," and added, "The Israeli military could send residents to Egypt through diplomatic negotiations and then complete the development."
Opposition Deepens Within U.S. Republicans... "Cannot Bear Development and Military Deployment Costs"
Members of the Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades resisting underground in the Gaza Strip. Photo by EPA·Yonhap News
Within the U.S. Republican Party, concerns are rising that the astronomical costs of occupying Gaza Strip and developing it into a resort could provoke strong backlash from taxpayers.
Republican Senator Kevin Cramer told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), "I think it's an impractical, too big and visionary idea," and expressed concern that "it could conflict with our ongoing efforts to reduce government spending." Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also said, "I have been on calls all day with Arab country officials about this issue," and warned, "This approach could cause major problems."
As the impact of President Trump's statement about occupying Gaza Strip grows, the White House is trying to clarify that nothing has been finalized yet. On the 5th, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said at a regular briefing, "President Trump hopes that Middle Eastern partner countries, especially Egypt and Jordan, will temporarily host Palestinian refugees, and that we can rebuild their new homes," adding, "President Trump has never promised to deploy troops on the ground in Gaza. This is not a finalized matter."
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