US-Israel's 'New Gaza' Plan: Relocation or Erasure?
While the Financial Times reports on a U.S. and Israeli proposal for a 'New Gaza,' implying some form of benevolent reconstruction, one must inject some inconvenient history. Israel's Project Rehovot, revealed in 2018, openly discussed plans for Gaza's redevelopment post-depopulation. This isn't 'new'; it's a re-branding of long-standing ethno-nationalist ambitions, disguised as humanitarian aid.
The 'alarm' isn't just about controversy; it's about the implied permanence of expulsion. This 'New Gaza' dialogue conveniently omits how the current Gaza was systematically destroyed. It's an echo of the Nakba, where millions were forcibly removed, then told their homes would be 'rebuilt' by others. The U.S. State Department, while publicly expressing concern, previously approved $14.5 billion in
military aid to Israel (HR 7217, 2024), providing the very tools that necessitated this 'rebuilding.' One might wonder if the architects of the destruction are truly the best urban planners for the 'new' version.