Disaster capitalism for the Trump era. Destroy the place, commit genocide, starve people out — create a high tech resort for tech oligarchs. Easy peasy:
A postwar plan for Gaza circulating within the Trump administration, modeled on President Donald Trump’s vow to “take over” the enclave, would turn it into a trusteeship administered by the United States for at least 10 years while it is transformed into a gleaming tourism resort and high-tech manufacturing and technology hub.
The 38-page prospectus seen by The Washington Post envisions at least a temporary relocation of all of Gaza’s more than 2 million population, either through what it calls “voluntary” departures to another country or into restricted, secured zones inside the enclave during reconstruction.
Those who own land would be offered a digital token by the trust in exchange for rights to redevelop their property, to be used to finance a new life elsewhere or eventually redeemed for an apartment in one of six to eight new “AI-powered,smart cities” to be built in Gaza. Each Palestinian who chooses to leave would be given a $5,000 cash payment and subsidies to cover four years of rent elsewhere, as well as a year of food.
The plan estimates that every individual departure from Gaza would save the trust $23,000, compared with the cost of temporary housing and what it calls “life support” services in the secure zones for those who stay.
Called the Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust, or GREAT Trust, the proposal was developed by some of the same Israelis who created and set in motion the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) now distributing food inside the enclave. Financial planning was done by a team working at the time for the Boston Consulting Group.
People familiar with the trust planning and with administration deliberations over postwar Gaza spoke about the sensitive subject on the condition of anonymity. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which declined to comment. BCG has said that work on the trust plan was expressly not approved and that two senior partners who led the financial modeling were subsequently fired.
Great. The people who brought you famine and the indiscriminate shooting of people who are desperate for food are involved in this. Perfect.
And then there’s this:
On Wednesday, Trump held a White House meeting to discuss ideas for how to end the war, now approaching the two-year mark, and what comes next. Participants included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff; former British prime minister Tony Blair, whose views on Gaza’s future have been solicited by the administration; and Trump’ son-in-law Jared Kushner, who handled much of the president’s first-term initiatives on the Middle East and has extensive private interests in the region.
Nobody knows if they were talking about this grotesque plan for a Vegas style resort in Gaza but it stands to reason that even if they weren’t their own plans are similar. This is what Emperor Trump has decreed.
I do wonder if the MAGA cult is on board with a 10 year American occupation though. I suppose they probably are. If their Dear Leader wants it they will happily sign on.