Overview

• On July 22, far-right members of Israel’s Knesset convened a public meeting titled “The Riviera in Gaza: From Vision to Reality” to debate redevelopment of the coastal enclave.
• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and activist Daniella Weiss led discussions on a master plan to re-establish a permanent Jewish presence in Gaza.
• Weiss’ organization’s blueprint proposes housing 1.2 million Jewish settlers alongside industrial, agricultural and coastal tourism zones.
• The proposal invokes President Trump’s February idea of a “Middle East Riviera” and has prompted condemnation for echoing fears of forced displacement reminiscent of the 1948 Nakba.
• Gaza remains devastated by a 21-month conflict and a months-long blockade, with critical shortages of food and medicine and escalating malnutrition among civilians.