F
inance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a Tel Aviv event that Gaza is a “real‑estate bonanza” and that Israel has drafted a division plan now on President Trump’s desk. He said Israel’s first phase of “urban renewal” involved demolishing Gaza and that rebuilding is underway, adding, “We’ve poured a lot of money into this war; we must decide how to split the land in percentages.” These remarks echo Trump’s February pledge to take over Gaza, transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” and relocate Palestinians. Though the U.S. response was muted, Israeli officials keep pushing the idea. A September Washington draft proposes turning Gaza into a Dubai‑style revenue hub with mass surveillance, displacement, and land appropriation, featuring world‑class resorts, artificial islands, and a $5,000 incentive for Palestinians to leave. The plan, reported by the FT and Washington Post, was led by venture capitalist Michael Eisenberg and former military intelligence officer Liran Tancman, who were part of the group that created the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in late 2023. Middle East Eye argues the scheme is economically unviable, relying on a global elite while overlooking ethnic cleansing for profit.