Kushner and Blair Present Vision for Gaza After the War
Focus on Rebuilding as Trade Hub and Resort
Removal of Hamas as Key Premise for Post-War Plans
On August 27 (local time), The Times of the UK and other outlets reported that U.S. President Donald Trump discussed a post-war plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip as a trade hub and resort destination with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and former White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner.
Jared Kushner, a Jewish real estate businessman, was in charge of Middle East policy during the first Trump administration and previously stirred controversy for policies strongly favoring Israel. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, meanwhile, is an expert with long-standing involvement in Middle East conflicts but is also a controversial figure due to his perceived bias. During the meeting, they discussed post-war plans for the Gaza Strip with President Trump. This follows President Trump’s earlier proposal to transform Gaza into one of the Middle East’s premier “rivieras”-a beautiful coastal resort area.
The Times reported that former Prime Minister Blair, together with Kushner, has been working on plans to rebuild Gaza as a trade hub and resort, and that these ideas were discussed at the meeting. Earlier, in February of this year, President Trump stated that the United States should take ownership of Gaza, relocate its residents, and build a resort. After facing international criticism for advocating what was called “ethnic cleansing,” President Trump has not repeated such proposals.
The central premise of the post-war vision for Gaza presented by Kushner and Blair at the meeting was the removal of Hamas. Initially, they reportedly planned to discuss how Gaza would be governed after Hamas lost power. A White House official said, “President Trump wants the war to end and desires peace and prosperity for everyone in the region,” but refrained from providing further details about the meeting.
The meeting also addressed ways to accelerate aid to Gaza, where famine has been declared, as well as strategies for rescuing Israeli hostages. Recently, Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal from a mediating country that would see 10 out of about 20 hostages released first. However, Israel has continued its military operations in Gaza, insisting that all detainees must be released at once.
In this context, Axios analyzed that the White House’s involvement in post-war planning for Gaza could provide Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the political justification to accept a ceasefire. Since the complete dismantling of Hamas is the stated goal of the war, a post-war plan premised on the removal of Hamas could be perceived by Israel as a comprehensive solution.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said in a Fox News interview the previous day, “We are developing a very comprehensive plan,” and added, “President Trump’s humanitarian motives are reflected in this.” Witkoff, a real estate investor and former lawyer, is known to have discussed post-war plans for Gaza over the past several months together with former Prime Minister Blair and Kushner.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
