Jared Kushner once said Gaza waterfront property was worth a lot of money

Resurfaced comments from Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner gushing about Gaza’s “waterfront property” create speculation Donald Trump’s son-in-law influenced his position.

Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said he would “move the people out and then clean (Gaza) up” a year before the President shocked the world with his audacious plan for the Middle East.

Mr Trump announced his stunning proposal that the United States could take control of the Gaza Strip at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is visiting Washington.

This aerial photo shows displaced Gazans walking toward Gaza City along the beautiful coastline following the ceasefire. Picture: AFP

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too,” Mr Trump said. “We’ll own it. And be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.

“Level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”

Mr Kushner, who heads a private equity firm with a number of Middle East investors, spoke about Gaza to the Middle East Initiative, a program of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, in February 2024.

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at the Liberty Inaugural Ball. Mr Kushner sees the potential in Gaza. Picture: AFP

“Gaza’s waterfront property, it could be very valuable, if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Mr Kushner said.

“If you think about all the money that’s gone into this tunnel network and into all the munitions, if that would have gone into education or innovation, what could have been done?

“It’s a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but I think from Israel´s perspective, I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up...

“But I don’t think that Israel has stated that they don’t want the people to move back there afterwards.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned forcible deportations from Gaza are strictly prohibited. Picture: AFP

UN rights chief Volker Turk insisted Wednesday that deporting people from occupied territory was strictly prohibited.

“It is crucial that we move towards the next phase of the ceasefire, to release all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” Mr Turk said in a statement.

“The suffering of people in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel has been unbearable. Palestinians and Israelis need peace and security, on the basis of full dignity and equality.” Mr Turk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said international law was “very clear”.

“The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law and must be protected by all states, as the International Court of Justice recently underlined afresh,” he said.

“Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.”

– with AFP

Originally published as Jared Kushner once said Gaza waterfront property was worth a lot of money