WASHINGTON, Jan 24: Thus spake Jared Kushner, unveiling his vision for postwar Gaza in front of an audience of the World Economic Forum at Davos.
If it failed, he said, blame would be easy to ascribe.
"If Hamas does not demilitarize, that will be what holds back the people of Gaza from achieving their aspirations," he said.
Kushner, the president's son-in-law, who played a leading role in brokering that agreement, leaned into optimism, albeit with occasional notes of caution and at least one notable omission: the international stabilization force, a key part of Trump's original ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip.
Here's a look at some of the key points:
A map of Gaza was pulled up on a screen to show how the enclave would be developed.
A "coastal tourism" zone would run along the seafront - long enough for up to 180 skyscrapers, many likely earmarked as hotels.
A port was shown at the southwestern end of Gaza, alongside the border with Egypt, and immediately inland from the port, the map showed zoning for an airport.
Kushner highlighted two urban developments, which he referred to as New Rafah and New Gaza.
At "New Rafah," more than 100,000 permanent housing units would be built, along with over 200 schools and more than 75 medical facilities, he said. He expressed hope that the construction would be completed within two to three years. Work has already begun to remove the rubble, he said.
"New Gaza" is to be a center of industry, with the aim of achieving 100% full employment, Kushner said. Computer-generated images suggest a metropolis bearing a strong resemblance to Persian Gulf cities like Doha and Dubai, with gleaming waterside accommodations and office locations.
Undoubtedly, the scale of the task is enormous, and the presentation was scant on details about how it would all be realized. Two years of Israeli bombardment, launched in response to Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has left more than 80% of Gaza's buildings damaged or destroyed.
Governments will make the first contributions, Kushner said, with initial announcements to come at a conference in Washington in the next couple of weeks.
He also appealed to the private sector to come forward, promising "amazing investment opportunities."
"I know it's a little risky to be investing in a place like this, but we need you to come, take faith, invest in the people," he said.
While senior Palestinian officials have been slow to react to Kushner's presentation, criticism from elsewhere has highlighted a sense that their powerlessness is being exploited. "CNN
