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Palestinians in Gaza have vowed to rebuild their seafront restaurants and hotels independently, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s plan to transform the area into a “Riviera of the Middle East” under US control and without its current population.
Before Israel’s 15-month offensive devastated Gaza, the densely populated Palestinian territory had developed a local tourism industry along its Mediterranean coastline despite years of blockade.
“There is nothing that cannot be repaired,” said Gaza resident Assad Abu Haseira, who pledged to resume serving food from his restaurant even before it is rebuilt.
“Trump says he wants to change the restaurants, he wants to change Gaza, and he wants to create a new history for Gaza. We remain Arab, and the history of Arabs will not be replaced with the history of foreigners.”
Other Palestinians echoed his defiance. Mohammed Abu Haseira, another restaurant owner, insisted his establishment would reopen and be “much better than before.”
“Trump has decided he wants to establish restaurants, but the restaurants are here, and the hotels are here. Why did you destroy them to build others?” he said.
Gaza was once a popular destination for Israeli tourists, and even after the Islamist movement Hamas took control in 2007, the seafront remained lined with restaurants and cafes.
Trump’s vision of a Gaza Strip without its Palestinian population, redeveloped into an international resort, revived an idea previously proposed by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The proposal sparked global condemnation, with critics calling it a form of ethnic cleansing and a violation of international law.
Gazans were quick to reject the plan, vowing never to leave the ruins of their homes. Many likened it to the “Nakba” or catastrophe of 1948, when 700,000 Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes during the creation of the state of Israel.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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