Donald Trump’s interest in the cryptocurrency sector takes many forms, some of which are unexpected and questionable, such as his recently stated desire to tokenize the departure of Gaza’s inhabitants in order to establish his “Middle East Riviera” there.
Donald Trump wants to take control of Gaza
Israel’s conflict with the Gaza Strip is the focus of attention. And with good reason, as the images of these destroyed cities and decimated populations are so striking that they have triggered arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This is a difficult reality, but one that the US president does not seem to view through the lens of his status as a businessman. In February, he proposed transforming this still-smoldering—and inhabited—field of ruins into a luxurious, high-tech “Middle East Riviera.”
The proposal immediately sparked widespread international opposition. However, Donald Trump does not seem to have shelved this option, as demonstrated by recent revelations in the Washington Post about a program called the Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation Trust (GREAT Trust).
The initial aim of this operation would be to place the Gaza Strip under the exclusive control of the United States for a minimum period of 10 years, apparently deemed necessary to establish a luxury tourist resort and a center dedicated to cutting-edge technologies.
One question remains, however: what will become of the population of this enclave?
A tokenized program of “voluntary” departures
According to data consulted by the Washington Post, Donald Trump’s program would involve the temporary relocation of more than 2 million Gaza residents. The group would be divided into two distinct camps: those considered “voluntary” departures to other countries, and those who would be settled in restricted and monitored areas during the reconstruction period.
To support this effort, the US president is proposing to compensate Gaza residents who own land by paying them an unspecified amount of tokens—also unidentified. The goal? To finance their expatriation or purchase an apartment in one of the “AI-powered smart cities” planned for the territory.
In any case, each Palestinian who decides to leave “voluntarily” will receive $5,000 in cash, along with assistance to cover four years of rent and one year of food. This is a good financial deal, as each of these departures saves $23,000 compared to the cost of “maintaining life” in the temporary security zones. There is no information available on what will happen to those who refuse to leave.
In terms of figures, this “Middle East Riviera” program promises a return on investment of four times the initial amount invested, estimated at $100 billion over 10 years. But it would still be necessary to overcome the numerous objections of the international community, given Israel’s recent desire to take control of the city of Gaza.
