Jared Kushner’s ambitious proposal for Gaza’s reconstruction, presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos, has ignited intense international backlash. The former White House advisor unveiled a comprehensive vision featuring AI-integrated skyscrapers, luxury coastal resorts, and modern data centers, framing it as an economic revitalization plan guided by free market principles.
Kushner, speaking as part of former President Trump’s newly announced “Board of Peace” initiative, described Gaza’s current state following what he termed “a two-year war” with 90,000 tons of munitions dropped, resulting in over 60 million tons of rubble and tens of thousands of fatalities. His solution involves complete territorial redesign that would shift control of the Rafah crossing to Israel and create buffer zones.
The proposal immediately faced severe criticism across multiple fronts. Legal scholar Ramy Abdu warned the plan represents “a scheme to eliminate Palestinian presence through domestication, subjugation, and control.” UK House of Lords member Meral Hussein-Ece characterized it as “land theft & profits above human beings.”
Social media reactions highlighted concerns about surveillance infrastructure, cultural erasure, and economic exploitation. Critics noted parallels to Saudi Arabia’s controversial NEOM project, with NYU Abu Dhabi scholar Monica Marks suggesting similar consulting firms might be involved. Many Arabic-language commentators expressed fears that seized property would be resold to Palestinians at inflated prices while transforming Gaza’s population into an exploited labor force.
The proposal revisits Trump’s earlier controversial suggestion to transform Gaza into a Mediterranean “Riviera,” previously rejected by Arab allies. European Council on Foreign Relations analyst Hugh Lovatt dismissed the plan as unrealistic, describing it as “bulldozing whole neighbourhoods to create a new ersatz social, political and economic entity” that could set precedents for West Bank refugee camps.
Journalist Barry Malone expressed visceral dismay, stating “I can’t believe this is really happening,” while novelist Susan Abulhawa warned of complete obliteration of “indigenous traditions and social fabric.” Lebanese diplomat Mohamad Safa summarized the sentiment with his viral comment: “They are selling Gaza in Davos.”