Reconstruction as a weapon: Israel’s strategy of ‘silent transfer’ in Gaza
Experts warn that the promise of reconstruction is being used to convert the right to shelter into an instrument of political extortion and demographic engineering
At last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Jared Kushner unveiled his vision of a “New Gaza”, featuring skyscrapers, tourism hubs and global trade corridors. Yet on the ground in Gaza, no reconstruction has begun. Instead, the devastated enclave remains buried under an estimated 61 million tonnes of rubble, with daily life defined by destruction rather than rebuilding.
Although large scale Israeli air strikes eased after a fragile October ceasefire, killings and blockades have continued, signaling a quieter phase of war. Israel has yet to allow the entry of cement and steel, materials essential for rebuilding. According to the United Nations, 92 percent of Gaza has been destroyed, with reconstruction costs estimated at $70bn.
Urban planners and analysts cited in media reports warn that reconstruction is being shaped not to restore Palestinian life, but to re-engineer it, turning the right to shelter into a tool of political leverage and demographic manipulation. Researcher Ihab Jabareen described reconstruction as “a continuation of war by bureaucratic and economic means”, where control over building materials becomes a mechanism of power.
Israel’s restrictions, particularly its expanding “dual-use” list, ensure reconstruction remains slow, conditional and politically controlled. Every shipment of aid or cement requires approval, creating what experts describe as “control without responsibility” dominance over Gaza’s daily life without the obligations of occupation.
Meanwhile, international plans promoting luxury housing, investment zones and tourism are viewed by critics as “silent demographic engineering”, shifting the Palestinian issue from one of national rights to a real estate project. Media reports note that prolonged delays may encourage “rational emigration”, pushing Palestinians to leave not through force, but through exhaustion and uncertainty.
As one analyst warned, while bombing draws condemnation, bureaucratic delay invites silence making time itself the most effective weapon of displacement.
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