The White House just hosted a secret meeting on Gaza’s future, featuring Tony Blair and Jared Kushner. Their proposals, from ‘Gaza riviera’ dreams to controversial displacement ideas, are raising eyebrows globally. What does this mean for the region, especially without Palestinian voices at the table?
Recent high-level discussions at the White House saw prominent figures Jared Kushner and Tony Blair convene to outline US and Israeli strategies for the Post-War Gaza Strip. This meeting, devoid of Palestinian representation, signals a critical juncture in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and has ignited significant debate regarding the future of the beleaguered territory.
The gathering followed statements from former President Donald Trump, who predicted an end to the conflict within weeks, a sentiment echoed by his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Despite assurances of a “comprehensive” and “well-meaning” plan for Gaza Strip reconstruction, the absence of Palestinian voices, alongside the involvement of Blair and Kushner, has already sparked considerable alarm among Palestinians and key Arab allies of the US.
Central to these concerns are past proposals from Jared Kushner, former senior advisor to Trump, who advocated for the forced Palestinian Displacement from Gaza as early as 2024. His remarks about Gaza’s valuable waterfront property and the need to “move the people out and then clean it up” align disturbingly with earlier discredited plans by the Trump Administration to transform Gaza into a US-owned “riviera.”
Further exacerbating these anxieties, reports revealed Kushner’s consultation with Professor Joseph Pelzman on a paper detailing drastic Post-War Gaza reconstruction. Pelzman’s proposals, including digging up the entire place, moving the local population, and leaving “nothing vertical stands,” coupled with suggestions to pressure Egypt into accepting displaced Palestinians, underscore the controversial nature of the discussions.
Regional apprehension is particularly acute in Egypt and Jordan, nations bordering the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They fear that any large-scale Palestinian Displacement could destabilize their own countries and create fertile ground for resistance groups in areas like the Sinai Peninsula. These concerns have led Egypt to spearhead an Arab League-backed plan advocating for the Palestinian Authority’s return and a UN peacekeeping force.
Tony Blair, through his Tony Blair Institute (TBI), has also been intricately involved in conceptualizing Gaza’s future. Discussions included a “Gaza Economic Blueprint” outlining grandiose plans for a deep-water port, artificial islands, and an “Elon Musk Smart Manufacturing Zone,” reflecting ambitious, yet often disconnected, visions for the region’s economic revitalisation. TBI insists it neither endorsed nor authored the slide, two of its staff members participated in discussions related to the initiative.
Kushner’s extensive financial ties with powerful Gulf states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, which have invested in his private equity fund, Affinity Partners, further complicate the Middle East Geopolitics. His role as the architect of the 2020 Abraham Accords, which saw Arab nations normalize ties with Israel, was widely seen as a betrayal by Palestinians, who advocate for a united Arab front until a Palestinian state is established.
As these high-stakes discussions unfold at the White House, the focus remains firmly on the complex future of Post-War Gaza. The lack of Palestinian inclusion, coupled with highly controversial proposals from key figures like Jared Kushner and Tony Blair, continues to raise profound questions about the legitimacy and viability of any proposed resolution, intensifying the already volatile Middle East Geopolitics.
